What types of programs and machine would I need to run a home webserver?

This is the machine I've got:

Maker: Acer
Model: no clue
Processor: AMD K6 300mhz
RAM: 64 megs
NIC card: Linksys 10/100
Hard Drive: maxtor 6.4 gig (master) Seagate 6.4 gig (extra)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro
Cd-rom: generic 56 times
Extra goodies: none


Network stuff:

Linsys switch
Linksys router
Belkin patch panel (not sure on its maker but i think its belkin)
Toshiba cable modem
Cox High Speed connection ( I have to ask cox to see if they would allow it one their network)

What software and upgrades would I need? just to run a small web server? I had my origininal site up on a PI-233 mhz with 64 megs of ram but the trial version of the program I downloaded ran out.

Depends, what are you going to be putting out?

its not going to be fancy I just want something to post pictures of my pets for my family and friends to see who live out of state.

You could try Apache server. I've not used it myself but I intend to in the next couple of months for a uni project.

http://www.apache.org/

I have alot of exsperiance in Home based Web server's.! If you are thinking of launching one i would suggest you used Sambar server. It is extremely easy to install and easyier to use and setup. With apache it's a bit confusing trying to setup and it has no web based config system.! Plus you have to put file's onto your c: drive in your windows dir.

So if you like a bit of a challeneg use Apache, but if you want it simple and fast with out any editing of file's use Sambar Server .

Hoped this helped you out.!

You can run Apache on Win32, or search SourceForge for httpd servers. I remember using TinyHTTP for awhile on a dinosaur of a system (P-75, 32MB RAM, 2.1GB HDD, Win95) and it ran very well.

Personally, I prefer Apache on *nix, but that's just my favorite. The config file may look confusing at first, but if you take the time to actually read it, it's extremely well documented and pretty much holds your hand with all the options. It also defaults to install as a service on Windows NT/2000/XP, and there *ARE* GUI configuration utils to help you, if you don't want to read the documentation within the config file (Apache Commander @ SourceForge to name one.)

In reading the initial post again, I never did actually answer the question

OK, if you want to host your own website, you only need a machine with a webserver. Depending on your hardware, you could either use some flavor of Microsoft Windows as the platform, with a webserver (apache, tinyhttp, etc.) or some flavor of either UNIX or Linux, and Apache (or another http server.)

My personal preference is Apache on FreeBSD, which runs my personal site (both mail and web.) The machines are identical HP Vectra PII 350's with 128 MB of SD133 RAM, running FreeBSD.

Just install a linux distribution on your system (like FreeBSD or Debian) and they come with free web server, php and mysql and you link up the system through the router and leave it online without a monitor and a keyboard/mouse and just a link through the router.

This way its online and you can shuff it in a closet and remote control it through a intranet connection.

FreeBSD is UNIX

Might just be me but isnt Linux a off shot of Unix