[Porsche-O-Phile]

Linux. Without question. This is the exact setup I've been running for years. My file server is a dual-Pentium III board with multiple HDDs. It's rock-solid stable (I use Samba for the file access management with my Windoze workstation).

I used to run a web server, e-mail server, FTP server on the same box as well, and used it as my Internet gateway for a time until I bothered to get a router. Linux handles all those tasks flawlessly. I think I've had to reboot it maybe 3X in the last five years and that was either to upgrade hardware or move the box. I can't say enough good things about Linux.

The only caveat I'll give you is that there is a bit of a learning curve to it. You should be able to figure it out (lots of resources out there, but so many it can get confusing at times). If you're willing to spend some time configuring/learning, you can give yourself a VERY good system that's stable and inexpensive. Windoze anything is all about how much $$$ you shovel to Microsoft for their proprietary closed-source bloatware crap. I'd never run an MS server. Ever.