Can I use my old Windows XP pc as a web server

[Rithweek]

What are the options available through which I can use my old Windows XP pc as a web server. I am unable to find any proper solution for that. Now I want to create a testing environment to test website built on drupal and wordpress. I do not want to go for online server. First we will create and test site on our network and then will upload it online for final testing. I can assign a single pc as server stuff. Is there a software available for that.

[AmaF]

If you want to do that individually on each and every machine then you can go with Xampp.This is a nice tool that offers you a virtual web server platform where you can run ample of different things.

[sameer22]

There are options available through which you can simply create a virtual web server platform in your lan. For that first you will need to assign a static ip to your windows xp pc. Then you can install a web server OS on that. Rightnow many web servers are using Apache and mysql. You can build a unix based system and configure cpanel on that which will act as a real web server but it will operate on your lan network. Now there is a huge difference between speed that you will get on your lan compare to speed you will get online. Because you are testing your website on a high speed network. Online testing is the real one. Rightnow a local server is good enough for running test environment for site development. In each and every machine you will need to install xampp like tool. Because through this only your system will be able to read all server related files. Lighttpd is another tool available which can do the same job. But if you do not want to go for any tool then you can go for HTTP setup. There is a complete guide available on the web for that. There is no need to install any Linux based os. Through xp itself you can configure a web server and access the stored website via web browser.