changing home network

[Les]

Hi, everyone,
	I currently have four systems on my home network.  I have them all
configured as standalone systems, but the burden of backing them up etc.
etc. is becoming too much.  I want to set up a full network with server
and common user directories.  Currently I have 2 Linux only systems, one
windows only system, and one dual boot.  

	I have been monitoring (and sometimes helping, occasionally kibbutzing)
the mailing list, so I believe I can figure out most of it by now.
However, here is my question.

	I have one older low-end system, and one dual cpu system that is on all
the time, either of which could be the server.  However, the dual cpu
system is where I do most of my work, including dual boot to windows.
This makes it a bad prospect for a network server.  I could configure
and run XP pro in a virtual setup, but I am leery of making the full
change to network server, with a virtual windows client and doing work
on the server (compiling and running programs with occasional resets to
clean up my big goofs).  

	I am leery of using the older system simply because I suspect it is
approaching mechanical, support, and electrical end of life (over 6
years old).  Buying a new system is possible, but adding yet another
300watts to my system load would be tough.  
	
	I think I would need to add wiring to the house.  So, the question
becomes do I trust the older system, make my system the server, adopt
the remaining system (currently running f8) as a server, or should I
just throw down the cash and get yet one more system for a server.  Also
I am thinking that having a common server would make backuppc simpler
and support, backup issues and so forth would be much simpler.  Could I
continue to have the mail setup as it is with each system downloading
email from my ISP?  Setting up a mail server is not something I want to
do for our home stuff.

`	I suspect that on this mailing list there is someone who has been
faced with a similar situation, so please if that person reads this,
give me your experienced opinion.

Regards,
Les H