User:Arek75/Installing the Linux Dedicated Server/Preparation

Preparation
First things first, you'll need to have command-line access to your server. The best way I've found to do this is to use SSH. When I installed Ubuntu Server, I selected OpenSSH Server as the only service it would provide - it's all that's necessary. If you need an SSH client for windows, I recommend PuTTY (need link).

Once you're logged in as your normal user, you'll need a new, unprivileged user to run NWServer as. We'll call it nwn. Create it as follows:

You'll also need to have the following programs installed
 * unzip
 * smbfs (if you're going to use windows file sharing)
 * unrar (to unpack NWNX later)

To install them on Ubuntu (if you have root access to the server), run the following command: If you don't have root access to your server, check to see if unzip and unrar are present (you probably won't need or want smbfs in this case), and ask your host to install them if they're not.

Finally, you'll need to have one of the following available to your server:
 * A DVD containing a (pruned) snapshot of your NWN install,
 * A windows share of your NWN install folder (or a pruned version thereof),
 * An NWN DVD/CD Set (preferably platinum or diamond. AVOID the original, since there's no easy way to install it on Linux without a humongous download),
 * or some other way of making an NWN install available to your server (you're on your own here).

To make a DVD with your NWN files on it (on windows), do the following:
 * 1) Open up the folder above your NWN folder (usually C:\Neverwinternights).
 * 2) Copy the NWN folder (just right-click and drag the folder to a new spot and select "Copy Here" from the menu).
 * 3) Go into the new folder (you might want to rename it NWNDVD for reference) and delete the following files/folders: