Windows or Linux for Source Server

[PhatBoy]

Just out of curiosity, who out there is using windows vs. who's using linux.

I'm just interested in getting a feel for the make up of the srcds admin community, so please don't start any flaming in here. To get the ball rolling I'm running on Windows XP.

[FiRe]

Linux (2.6+ kernel), and Windows 2003 are by far the best to use as a server. Windows 2000 and Windows XP are not. Theres no clear winner, except that Linux will use less resources if it is headless.

[XaTriX]

I thinks Linux server is the best :p
I'm in a Debian Box

XaT

[cryotek]

But from what i've been hearing windows dedicated server for source is coded better.

But I use Gentoo Linux, optimized to its fullest but to the point where it won't break.

Quote:dan@phoenix ~ $ uptime
12:41:45 up 30 days 16:58, 1 user, load average: 0.00 0.00 0.11

dan@phoenix ~ $ uname -a
Linux phoenix 2.6.9-gentoo-r1 #1 Sun Nov 6 14:23:34 PST i686 Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 2.8GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

Got a few XEON boxes coming up soon as well. If anyway else who runs gentoo with simular box to mine, feel free to ask for my CFLAGS.

[Manip]

I've used Linux in the past. I've also used Windows; I have to say that I prefer Linux, I don't like the Windows GUI(real-time graph, config viewer etc) and Windows can't run as many servers on the same spec as Linux can.

The Linux server appears to me to have some memory leaks and other instabilities in it.. Which means a Windows server will have greater up time which is not so much down to the platform but down to the developers.

[EagleC]

I use windows, and the gui isn't the right way to run the windows dedicated server imho

I used to use linux, but after suffering problems with various compatabilities in the past and with the other stuff I want the server to do Windows was easier and more flexible.

Performance wise I'd take claims like that with a pinch of salt. If you take windows and set it up right, then you can run the same servers/slots as an equivilently correctly set up linux box. Sadly the majority of windows users are after the easyness and thus dont bother withe squeezing performance out. Those that get geeky about it tend to move to linux for a multitude of reasons rather than just slots per box.

[Stealth]

Ive tried many times to use linux but i just dont have the patience to sit down and figure out a new OS. On the other hand i know how to squeeze every last mhz out of the cpu.


Anyone have some good tutorials for understanding linux, not complete idiots guide im not a newbie to PC's just a newbie to linux? I understand its mainly command based but ive never found a decent straight to the point manual and the fact that ATI's propriotory drivers chucked back numerous errors made me just give up in the end.

I dont mind a bit of hassle with a new OS but not having my x800 pro gets on me tits

[link1305]

I'm running Gentoo with the 2.6.9 kernel...

I JUST found out that the source dedicated server is free (for some reason I thought I'd have to buy another bronze account) so I'm downloading it as I type this . I saw the link for this site on the main steam forums just now also.

BTW I'm still reading around a bit, but is there anything immediatly different about source dedicated servers? Most of the server.cfg options look the same...anything I should know?

[Ard Choille]

I went from windose to linux.
For me it was alot like using DOS

I find that nix is more admin friendly. You are able to do things in scripts for nix you can't do in windose.

[clumsytoole]

Our clan server is a dedicated server running under Red Hat 9, not my personal choice. If I could get my hosting company to boot a Live Gentoo CD, enable networking and ssh I would gladly install Gentoo on it :-)

You don't need a gui to configure the game servers, and Linux is just great with scripting.

[cryotek]

clumsytoole Wrote:Our clan server is a dedicated server running under Red Hat 9, not my personal choice. If I could get my hosting company to boot a Live Gentoo CD, enable networking and ssh I would gladly install Gentoo on it :-)

You don't need a gui to configure the game servers, and Linux is just great with scripting.

Who says you need a livecd? technically you have the "LiveCD" running now. I had a dedicated server running FC3, i took the swap, built a quick stage3 using the bare minimal since it was only 1GB, boot into that partition, then install Gentoo on top of FC3. Just keep in mind, by putting Gentoo opn it when they don'tsupport it, if it breaks, you're basically on your own.

I have 2 servers up, well, 1 server is already up, running Gentoo and is rock stable optimized and all. Currently in the middle of finishing up the install of Gentoo on another faster server in Dallas. And will also be optimized to the fuillest without breakage.

[drunkencanadian]

kinda off topic

But...

im running Redhat FC3.. and HATE it..

ive noticed that some of you are running Live Gentoo CD.. (im downloading it now)

why do you guyz prefer this dis over .. redhat/bsd/slackware etc?

[cryotek]

I choose gentoo because of *BSD like PORTS called portage. It virtually eliminates dependency hunting. Another reason to to fully optimize the system to the fullest, true you risk breaking your system, but if you know what you're doing, you should be ok.

[labraticus]

I'm running on BSD 5.3 with SMP compiled kernel. Its been running pretty steady with 160MB ram gobbled up and approximately 6% of my cpu #1 cycles being used.

I had to use a UMP compiled kernel to be able to install it, but running the server is solid enough with SMP.

- Labraticus

[jamesm]

I'm running Debian (Sarge). 2.6.9 kernel.