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View Full Version : I have a spare desktop, any ideas what to do with it?



Rackstar
December 25th, 2009, 11:51 PM
Hi,

I kind of have a luxury problem here. I now have a laptop running Ubuntu. But I still have a spare desktop now. It is still quite ok (dual core 2.66).

I now rsync my laptop to a external HDD with a script I wrote (mainly rsyncs and detecting when I plug my HDD to my laptop).

But since I'm a paranoiac, I would try to put Ubuntu on the desktop too and use it as a backup server with the internal HDD and an extra HDD.

But I also have limited space on my laptop (120 GB), and since I'm also a photographer, this isn't enough for my piles and piles of RAW files.

So maybe I was thinking.. Should I symlink some folders to the server (my desktop)? (like photo's older than a year?)

I'm paying for my own electricity, so I wouldn't like to fire up my desktop too often if it isn't necessary. But I wouldn't like to use the screen too often (but I wouldn't like to have to log in automatically, but I'm too paranoic too not protect my desktop with a password). I use the screen as a second monitor for my laptop too.

Any other ideas what I could do, or how to do this in the best way? (I am very willing too learn, I study computer science, and I have experience with linux scripting)

Thanks!

User3k
December 25th, 2009, 11:58 PM
I use and have used my spare computer as a gateway/firewall, personal server. I am currently thinking of setting it up as a mail server. While I love Ubuntu I usually use SME for that.

CharlesA
December 26th, 2009, 12:01 AM
You can set it up as a headless server if you so desire. There was a thread a little bit ago asking for to auto suspend a machine, using Wake on LAN to wake it up before using it.

You'd just need to install ssh and maybe tunnel VNC over SSH if you install a GUI on it. Not sure on the symlinks thing. Thought you could mount a network folder, but I'm not quite sure how that works. (I just use Samba at home)

pwnst*r
December 26th, 2009, 12:07 AM
or give it to someone that needs it.

Rackstar
December 26th, 2009, 12:08 AM
or give it to someone that needs it.

I kind of like the fact having an extra computer to fall back on. I already had to miss my laptop for a month (thank u Acer support).

Thanks for the ideas so far! More ideas welcome, or more links.

Thanks!

Zoot7
December 26th, 2009, 12:51 AM
Were it me I'd probably turn it into a torrent slave, or a HTPC.

Any other ideas what I could do, or how to do this in the best way? (I am very willing too learn, I study computer science, and I have experience with linux scripting)
One thing you could do with it is to use it to "distro hop" so to speak. Pick out a whole plethora of Linux distors and see how good or how bad they perform.

sandyd
December 26th, 2009, 01:10 AM
Hi,

I kind of have a luxury problem here. I now have a laptop running Ubuntu. But I still have a spare desktop now. It is still quite ok (dual core 2.66).

I now rsync my laptop to a external HDD with a script I wrote (mainly rsyncs and detecting when I plug my HDD to my laptop).

But since I'm a paranoiac, I would try to put Ubuntu on the desktop too and use it as a backup server with the internal HDD and an extra HDD.

But I also have limited space on my laptop (120 GB), and since I'm also a photographer, this isn't enough for my piles and piles of RAW files.

So maybe I was thinking.. Should I symlink some folders to the server (my desktop)? (like photo's older than a year?)

I'm paying for my own electricity, so I wouldn't like to fire up my desktop too often if it isn't necessary. But I wouldn't like to use the screen too often (but I wouldn't like to have to log in automatically, but I'm too paranoic too not protect my desktop with a password). I use the screen as a second monitor for my laptop too.

Any other ideas what I could do, or how to do this in the best way? (I am very willing too learn, I study computer science, and I have experience with linux scripting)

Thanks!
if you have an esata port on your laptop, you can simply take the hard drive off the desktop and plug it in.

otherwise, a good investment is a sata <--> USB hard drive case. (their about ~$60)

samh785
December 26th, 2009, 02:51 AM
Were it me I'd probably turn it into a torrent slave, or a HTPC.

One thing you could do with it is to use it to "distro hop" so to speak. Pick out a whole plethora of Linux distors and see how good or how bad they perform.
This is what I would do if I were you.

gnomeuser
December 26th, 2009, 02:58 AM
While having a spare machine might be nice, you could donate it to one of the many projects that collect machines and send them to African schools. Giving the gift of education, it would make you feel good about yourself and it would make a real difference.

koleoptero
December 26th, 2009, 04:08 AM
Hi,

I kind of have a luxury problem here. I now have a laptop running Ubuntu. But I still have a spare desktop now. It is still quite ok (dual core 2.66).

I now rsync my laptop to a external HDD with a script I wrote (mainly rsyncs and detecting when I plug my HDD to my laptop).

But since I'm a paranoiac, I would try to put Ubuntu on the desktop too and use it as a backup server with the internal HDD and an extra HDD.

But I also have limited space on my laptop (120 GB), and since I'm also a photographer, this isn't enough for my piles and piles of RAW files.

So maybe I was thinking.. Should I symlink some folders to the server (my desktop)? (like photo's older than a year?)

I'm paying for my own electricity, so I wouldn't like to fire up my desktop too often if it isn't necessary. But I wouldn't like to use the screen too often (but I wouldn't like to have to log in automatically, but I'm too paranoic too not protect my desktop with a password). I use the screen as a second monitor for my laptop too.

Any other ideas what I could do, or how to do this in the best way? (I am very willing too learn, I study computer science, and I have experience with linux scripting)

Thanks!

The amount of "but"s here confused me. LOL

Dual core desktop, it doesn't sound like a spare computer at all. Use it. If you don't use it then I'll kill myself for having to put up with my puny little laptop. :P

Rackstar
December 26th, 2009, 10:36 AM
The amount of "but"s here confused me. LOL

Dual core desktop, it doesn't sound like a spare computer at all. Use it. If you don't use it then I'll kill myself for having to put up with my puny little laptop.

Yea, I should've reread it better :) The desktop is better than my laptop actually. But I'm not that much in one place, so that's the hard part.


Were it me I'd probably turn it into a torrent slave, or a HTPC.

One thing you could do with it is to use it to "distro hop" so to speak. Pick out a whole plethora of Linux distors and see how good or how bad they perform.

In Belgium we have data-limitations, I have a bandwidth of 60 GB/month, that I have to share with 3 other people. But I think I will use it to test Lucid. As I am always following development closely, but never participating (Already too less space on my laptop). I'm not really interested in more distro's. But thanks for the idea :)


While having a spare machine might be nice, you could donate it to one of the many projects that collect machines and send them to African schools. Giving the gift of education, it would make you feel good about yourself and it would make a real difference.
Gnomeuser, I have read a lot of your responses here at UF. You seem to be a very literate and sensible man.

You suprised me with this answer. I am planning to make my thesis (in my final year of Computer Science) about recycling computers in Belgium (not in the strict sense of stripping them apart). To investigate how big and middle-size companies, government institutions and universities handle "old" computers.

One option I consider to do is investigate how we can help third world countries, and what is being done now and make a theoretical better model. (No time to do it in practice, but maybe I can work further on it).

If you have interesting ideas about this, or have some books in this area that have interesting ideas about this. Please share!

As this is a more social/cultural subject for a thesis and less technical, I need to have a good solid basis to defend this subject at the university.

(A little bit off-topic though :) )

--

I think I'll put Karmic (server edition) on the desktop and Lucid development (desktop-edition). I'll use the server edition to enhance my knowledge in servers and test techniques I learn in my studies. But I was hoping to do something really helpful (for myself).

PS: Sorry if my English is sometimes confusing.

The Real Dave
December 26th, 2009, 03:25 PM
Try using Ubuntu Server, with rsync and ssh. RSync is mainly set up through console anyway, so you should be good enough with it? Its not that difficult, the install is very easy.

You could also try installing NFS on the server and mount the drive on your laptop.

The server could be completely headless, once you've the install done, all it needs is power and network. Turn it on when you want it, and when you're done, SSH in and turn it off :)

It really is alot simpler than it may look, theres plenty of How-Tos, and the forums are great place for help with CLI, which once you learn a few basics, isn't very difficult :)

I'm currently running two servers with Ubuntu 9.10 server, both sharing folders to my desktop using NFS.

PartisanEntity
December 26th, 2009, 04:49 PM
I have turned my spare Ubuntu laptop into a:

- file server for Windows and Mac supprting SMB and AFP protocols

- a time capsule that allows the Mac to make backups using TimeMachine directly to the server

- a dlna media server so I can watch movies, view images and listen to music, wirelessly, through my Samsung TV

- and last but not least a music server that can share music with iTunes

The possibilities are endless :)