How hard is it to make a Linux server?

Just recently, we had a client who had a fairly new Microsoft Windows XP computer that would not boot. The error was no ntos kernel to boot from - in other words, the disk was there, but unbootable.

We were able to connect the drive to another computer and run chkdsk on it, and chkdsk did repair quite a few errors. However, our CD burning software had not been installed on this computer, so how to get the data over to another computer?

Simple, seeing as this is what my company, Los Angeles Computerhelp, does daily.

We booted up with a Linux bootable CD, of which MANY are available, and with about 5 clicks started the Samba server (a Linux server software that lets Windows computers communicate to the Linux server.) Then we connected the clients laptop to it and viola! It connected, we copied over all of the data files and we were then able to do a destructive recovery and get back to work.

Building a Linux server for use by Windows computers is getting incredibly easier as time goes on. And there is no need for any complex setups in the Windows computers. So for a small business that does not rely on a Windows-based server program, a Linux file server is making MUCH more sense than having to go through the expense of a Windows server that you will have to pay for again every three years.