Summary
This guide is not going to be instructions that you just copy and paste. This is more about how to create and maintain a server. If you want to learn nothing and just want a functional product, message me. Ill write a script for you when i have free time.
In the name of efficiency we are going to use a "lite" OS. Nothing special really, honestly less special then a normal OS. Less special because it will contain only the bare minimum. This increases the amount of headroom for us to use.
There are 2 ways to install. It can be an auto-install where you set up everything in advance and you plug it in. The other option is the live install but this requires you to have a screen and keyboard for entry.
Some computers will have a locked down bios where it will only boot from 1 device. The rest of us normal people will proceed with the normal installer with a keyboard and screen.
Once your server is installed you can remove the media, keyboard and screen, and place the server wherever it is out of the way. We will be controlling this machine from our other computer, possibly from even outside your home network if you choose too.
When i connect from my spare computer whose user is David, it will automatically create a user on the machine called David. This is nice as it gives me a nice home/ specific to each device i connect to. This means that multiple people can use this server, from different devices and each get their own profile.