Simple http server?

I'm setting up one of my old PCs (350mhz P2 CPU, 32MB RAM, 8GB HDD) as a server to do a few things, and I have come accross a problem.

I need an http server. I have tried apache. It runs, but it uses up more RAM than I would like, and when I'm trying to transfer 700MB files to the box at the same time, it starts disk thrashing the swap file and a request for a simple html page takes over 30 seconds.

Can someone please suggest an HTTP server that is small, fast, doesn't use a lot of RAM, and supports either CGI or PHP? Thanks.

Hey,

Its will be more helpful if you mentioned what OS you're using now. If its linux then there's much more options like

you can use the apache and minimize the use of the RAM by editing the configuration files for apache. If that not ok with you. Also there's other option by using thttpd its a simple and small one I didn't use it before but its usually comes with the linux package just install it or try finding it on freshmeat.net


Regards,

I'm using linux (debian)

What specifically should I change in apache's config? I've already removed all but the two modules required to make it work, and I have disabled all the MIME types except the ones that I will be using.

KCamel, I'll give thttpd a go (the url is http://www.acme.com/software/thttpd/ for anyone else who cares)

This might be what you're looking for - http://www.acme.com/software/thttpd/. I've never tried it though...

Thanks Maedhros, KCamel already suggested it.

I downloaded and installed thttpd today, it is incredibly fast, and does the job really well. The only problem is that it won't run CGI scripts when it's in a chroot jail, but that's not really a problem because the box will only be accessable on my local nerwork.

Ack! That's what comes of not reading other posts properly...

Ah well, glad it seems to be working for you!

You can use apache too and minimize the use of ram and processing there's a command line but i couldn't remember it but there's a way if you're using KDE try Alt+F2 then in options check Run in terminal window and check run as different user if you're not root. also check Run with different priority and do it as LOW. in the command line put rcapache2 start thats on SuSE i'm not sure the same rcapache will work on debian so if it didn't work use /etc/init.d/apache2 start

i tried it and it was working fine with me