Thread: Windows OS for a seedbox?

Has anyone ever set up Windows on a seedbox (or as a seedbox)? I've got the option on a new seedbox to have win2k8 installed with RDP access. Kinda sounds cool I could have Windows apps installed. But would I need all the normal Windows stuff like AV and firewall? And I assume I'd have to use uTorrent? Any downsides to this?

Several clients, like Vuze, Deluge, uTorrent are also available on Windows; your preference in choosing one is another.

But the rest of the question, like AV, bothers me greatly. Well, in such a way it looks like you have "no clue" how to secure Win2K8 properly to only allow the ports/protocols you need as minimum. This, with the added headache of WindowsUpdates, licensing-costs and such, would make Windows maybe a bad decision for you to have.

What's wrong with Ubuntu Desktop as seedbox?

Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if Windows is the right choice with the complexity of setup and security issues which are beyond me. I may just stick with Linux. What I guess I was after was are there any really benefits to having a Windows sedbox?

Well if you want to play with Windows server and you already have some windows server administration experience and don't care about server being compromised or losing data why not give it a try.
On the other hand having Ubuntu Server/Desktop on the long run is much better solution, there will be no FW headache and no AV headache. Additional software installations are not so hard, apt-get this and that and you will have your server running really fast.

give it a go. I love my windows dedicated and it runs beautifully

It's just a seedbox, so feel free to try out whatever. If something is borked, you can always just reinstall. It's not like anyone keeps personal information on their SB, besides their torrents and such.

You really have nothing to lose on your Windows box as long as no personal data is stored on there. Throw up Windows Firewall with only the correct ports needed to survive (3389 (RDP), <FTP Port>, <uTorrent Port>, <uTorrent Web GUI Port>) and turn Windows Updates -> automatic update download on & notify when updates become available. Don't install anything outside of like uTorrent, Firefox, FileZilla Server, and you should be fine.

Originally Posted by gothmonk

Throw up Windows Firewall with only the correct ports needed to survive (3389 (RDP), <FTP Port>, <uTorrent Port>, <uTorrent Web GUI Port>)

You obviously have no clue about the default settings of Server 2008 and Windows Firewall?

There are only, give or take a few, 200 rules active after standard installation. To know all these rules, what they do, how they affect connectivity and such is mostly beyond the average user. You cannot compare Windows Firewall from something like Windows 7 to Windows Server 2008.

Originally Posted by DutchRuff

You obviously have no clue about the default settings of Server 2008 and Windows Firewall?

There are only, give or take a few, 200 rules active after standard installation. To know all these rules, what they do, how they affect connectivity and such is mostly beyond the average user. You cannot compare Windows Firewall from something like Windows 7 to Windows Server 2008.

Average users, on that note, in no way, could handle Linux in any way, shape, or form if you are bringing it down to that level. You just can't tell them to run 5 apt-get commands and hope it all works.. What if they are missing a repo? What if a dependency is not present on the repo? What if they have to build the source themselves and are missing more dependencies or getting compile errors? What happens when they have to figure out vi, or locate a conf file?

Sure, Ubuntu helps dumb it down a bit, but things still happen.

Windows Firewall w/ Advanced Security is still FAR EASIER than Linux will EVER be. It hasn't even been mentioned securing ports in Linux, because everyone has a false impression that it is completely bulletproof.