The Vast

The server is run on an old desktop that uses Windows XP. As you may know, Microsoft is ending support for XP early April. If any of our professional IT players would like to chime in on this...

Will this end up being a problem? What can we expect?

Hey AG,

No more updates to the OS, that's really it. I assume you don't do a lot of personal computing on the box, but exploits could be used against the server and cause problems on your home network anyways.

Here's a good link about it at Ars Technica.

It's a retired computer used only for server business.

Suggestions?

Thoughts: Is Linux hard to install and work with? I've never used it. Would Linux be compatible with our existing router? What about files regularly brought over from a Win7 machine, like module or hak updates?

Linux is super easy to install and use these days. Router would work fine, most haks and modules would work fine. The only potential problem might be any nwnx components or databases. They should still work, but might need a little digging and tweaking to get done.

Ok, could I install linux side-by-side with winXP and switch into that or set it to boot on startup?

We use nwnx to start the server and run the cd key database through sqlite. The persistent chests are on the bioware internal database, and all other databased stuff is on the stones of history in your inventories. Are you pretty familiar with nwnx database issues and linux?

Mildly familiar. I'd have to do some reading to get caught back up.