As unlikely as it sounds to a UNIX die hard there are times when you require a Windows Server to share out  an NFS folder.  This document explains how to setup a simple scenario which will create a NFS disk resource on a Windows box which is mountable from a Unix client (a Sun Solaris 5.10 machine in this case). For those of us who use both Windows and Unix daily this is quite a handy ability to have.

In the example I am going to use two machines (client / server) The server is a standalone Windows 2003 NFS machine is called harpie and the client is a Solaris 5.10 unix machine is called rasputin

Install Window Services for UNIX

Step 1. Download the SFU  from the Microsoft website here

Step 2. Extract the downloaded files to the Windows machine you are planning to have your NFS share on.

Step 3. Run the SUF setup routine (wizard)

Step 4.  Choose the components you require. To get a simple NFS server running from which you can connect NFS clients such as linux or sun boxes etc to you will require the server for NFS and the server for PCNFS. Press the Next button.

Step 5. After a few moments the installer should complete . When it does you will need to start up a couple of Windows Services to get your NFS server running. You need the server for NFS service and PCNFS and server for PCNFS services to be running.  You may find that they are disabled to you need to set them to either manual or automatic before you can start them.