Windows : help and network advice for a small business, please

[Lozza]

Right here's the background, where I work we have 4 desktop machines downstairs. 2 desktop machines upstairs and a laptop. All machines run xp. We also have a NAS drive connected to the network for back up purposes.

They are all connected via a router. A couple of weeks ago production1 had an overnight BSOD (I tried to get the minidump today but couldn't) and wouldn't boot - recovery console was used and chkdsk. It was up and running again. Then last week another BSOD occurred in the day time apparently. xp had tried to be reinstalled from disk, but was getting stuck because of driver missing and them not being able to use the usb mouse or keyboard.. The reason for that I noticed today was because they were plugged into the front usb ports. I put them in the back and continued the re install and all was fine. The system restarted and booted into windows fine, but it was so slow and everything just hung.... so couldn't really use production1 hence not being able to get the minidump..

Any ideas on what I can do to get it back up and running?

Production1 is effectively the server and holds all the artwork files, I found out today that because production1 is down we are working directly off the NAS.. I'm not happy about this because as far as I am aware if anything is deleted from the NAS that's it it's gone, no recycle bin to retrieve it!
Also this NAS is supposed to be being backed up every night to and external usb drive... but every night it fails! Am I right to be unhappy about this or is that just how it is?

Know I don't really know much about networking but I have in mind what I think would be good.

So we have the following computers:
Design1 - clarity server
Design2 - connected to clarity
Production1 - (former artwork server) connected to plotter
Production2 - connected to edge
Shiraz
Accounts - connected to clarity
Laptop - connected to clarity

All computers used to connect to Production1 for artwork now they connect to the NAS.

I would like to have a central dedicated server for clarity and artwork - is the NAS ok for this or are my concerns valid?

I would like Design2 to be able to run the plotter (has the software to do this but the machine needs to be connected over the network somehow)
I would also like Production2 to be able to run the plotter. (as above)
I would like Production1 to be able to run the edge. (as above)

All 4 machines downstairs, design and production, use a specific software GSP which requires a usb hardware security dongle. We only have 3 such dongles so one needs to switched between the two production machines so as a side note is there any way we can use one of these dongles on server/network to save having to physically switch between the two production machines... Alternatively the two design machines are side by side, is there some sort of USB splitter so the dongle could be shared between the two design machines?


If you have got this far, and are willing to help, then let me know what you need to know in order to move further as I'm sure all of the above is very very vague!