Laptop as server?

Is there any reason why a laptop couldn't be used as a 24/7 home-based
server?

I want to install Windows 2000 server on a 'spare' laptop, and run it as
a domain controller. It wouldn't be used as anything else really, i.e.
data storage.

It would have an external USB drive hanging off it wich would be used
for data storage.

It's a fairly hefty spec, P4 with 700 something MB's of RAM.

Thoughts?


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Tx2 wrote:
> Is there any reason why a laptop couldn't be used as a 24/7
> home-based server?
>
> I want to install Windows 2000 server on a 'spare' laptop, and run
> it as a domain controller. It wouldn't be used as anything else
> really, i.e. data storage.
>
> It would have an external USB drive hanging off it wich would be
> used for data storage.
>
> It's a fairly hefty spec, P4 with 700 something MB's of RAM.
>
> Thoughts?

Hardware doesn't matter that much.

You could buy all the components and screw them all on a piece of plywood.
It could still be used as a server if it booted and allowed your server OS
to be installed.

Cooling and making sure all the sleep settings for the laptop were turned
off would be your main thing.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
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No reason. It's good to reuse kit this way.
Anthony
www.airdesk.com


"Tx2" <this.is.an.inv@lid.address.u.know.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.207060024d8f098598979a@News.Individual.NET...
>
> Is there any reason why a laptop couldn't be used as a 24/7 home-based
> server?
>
> I want to install Windows 2000 server on a 'spare' laptop, and run it as
> a domain controller. It wouldn't be used as anything else really, i.e.
> data storage.
>
> It would have an external USB drive hanging off it wich would be used
> for data storage.
>
> It's a fairly hefty spec, P4 with 700 something MB's of RAM.
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
> --
> My reply address is invalid.
> Please post replies to the group.
> Messages sent via Google Groups are 'auto-ignored'
> XPS M1710 / 2.16 GHz dual core / 2Gb DDR2 / nVidia GeForce 7950GTX

In article <MPG.207060024d8f098598979a@News.Individual.NET>, Tx2
says...
>
> Is there any reason why a laptop couldn't be used as a 24/7 home-based
> server?
>
> I want to install Windows 2000 server on a 'spare' laptop, and run it as
> a domain controller. It wouldn't be used as anything else really, i.e.
> data storage.
>
> It would have an external USB drive hanging off it wich would be used
> for data storage.
>
> It's a fairly hefty spec, P4 with 700 something MB's of RAM.
>
> Thoughts?
>
Prefectly reasonable. I sold a Tosh Sat 4000 with a broken LCD to a
bloke who used it for exactly that purpose. He stuck an external
monitor on to install the OS and set it up then used VNC to remote
manage it over the LAN.


--
Conor

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.........

I had the same idea, use a cheap laptop as a server and a spare instant
internet access point if needed.
But I'm having trouble convincing my wife (& myself really) that it's safe
to leave a laptop on all the time, even if we're out.

I've borrowed my work laptop to check noise levels OK, tried to make my
spare desktop "silent" and low power (which didnt really work ), looked at
NAS's with various compromises, but using a laptop seems most sensible.

And it uses less idle power (measured using a meter) than the quoted figures
for a typical NAS.

But something still niggles in case it burnt the house down when I'm out and
became an insurance issue - they only have to ask me to prove it was safe
for unattended use & I'll be in a hole.

Unless there's some manufacturer's site that says "OK to leave unattended"!?

On Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:28:17 +0100, "keith" <keith@somewhere.com>
wrote:

>But something still niggles in case it burnt the house down when I'm out and
>became an insurance issue - they only have to ask me to prove it was safe
>for unattended use & I'll be in a hole.
>

Who told you that? Unless there is a specific clause in your policy
then that is unlikely to be an issue. Bottom line is that insurance
pays even for stupidity!

Course this is in the USA, YMMV if you are somewhere else...


Safe?

IMHO, a laptop would be as safe as any server... I've never seen a
fire suppression system in any of my servers! <bg>

I doubt you will be happy with the performance, but that's a different
issue.

PeterD wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:28:17 +0100, "keith" <keith@somewhere.com>
> wrote:
>
>> But something still niggles in case it burnt the house down when I'm
>> out and became an insurance issue - they only have to ask me to
>> prove it was safe for unattended use & I'll be in a hole.
>>
>
> Who told you that? Unless there is a specific clause in your policy
> then that is unlikely to be an issue. Bottom line is that insurance
> pays even for stupidity!
>
> Course this is in the USA, YMMV if you are somewhere else...
>
>
> Safe?
>
> IMHO, a laptop would be as safe as any server... I've never seen a
> fire suppression system in any of my servers! <bg>
>
> I doubt you will be happy with the performance, but that's a different
> issue.

Check for some of those recalled batteries that had a tendancy to overheat
and light up.

--
/kj

On Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:41:24 -0700, "kj" <kj@nowhere.com> wrote:

>PeterD wrote:
>> On Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:28:17 +0100, "keith" <keith@somewhere.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> But something still niggles in case it burnt the house down when I'm
>>> out and became an insurance issue - they only have to ask me to
>>> prove it was safe for unattended use & I'll be in a hole.
>>>
>>
>> Who told you that? Unless there is a specific clause in your policy
>> then that is unlikely to be an issue. Bottom line is that insurance
>> pays even for stupidity!
>>
>> Course this is in the USA, YMMV if you are somewhere else...
>>
>>
>> Safe?
>>
>> IMHO, a laptop would be as safe as any server... I've never seen a
>> fire suppression system in any of my servers! <bg>
>>
>> I doubt you will be happy with the performance, but that's a different
>> issue.
>
>Check for some of those recalled batteries that had a tendancy to overheat
>and light up.

Ouch, that's right... <g> I was thinking *remove* the battery first,
which is what I'd do.

Tx2 <this.is.an.inv@lid.address.u.know.com> wrote:
> Is there any reason why a laptop couldn't be used as a 24/7 home-based
> server?
>
> I want to install Windows 2000 server on a 'spare' laptop, and run it
> as a domain controller. It wouldn't be used as anything else really,
> i.e. data storage.
>
> It would have an external USB drive hanging off it wich would be used
> for data storage.
>
> It's a fairly hefty spec, P4 with 700 something MB's of RAM.
>
> Thoughts?

I'm doing it right now with an reliable old Thinkpad A-series model - and I
use it for Exchange, file/print, DC/DNS, everything. Performance stinks, and
I'm probably going to get better hardware soon, but you do what you have to,
when in a small space - and as it's just for my own use, I'm the only one
who complains.

In message <i0gf03dt8hckrbke6lrt7m3n8mrmtidn52@4ax.com> PeterD
<peter2@hipson.net> wrote:

>Ouch, that's right... <g> I was thinking *remove* the battery first,
>which is what I'd do.

Personally, I'd leave the battery in (think of it as a built-in-UPS),
but make sure you have adequate cooling.
--
Insert something clever here.

"Tx2" <this.is.an.inv@lid.address.u.know.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.207060024d8f098598979a@News.Individual.NET...
>
> Is there any reason why a laptop couldn't be used as a 24/7 home-based
> server?
>

They tend to get a bit warm. Make sure its well cooled....

> I want to install Windows 2000 server on a 'spare' laptop, and run it as
> a domain controller. It wouldn't be used as anything else really, i.e.
> data storage.
>

Once you go fo a server OS the free AV programs tend to stop working...

> It would have an external USB drive hanging off it wich would be used
> for data storage.
>

That might be slow if its USB1

> It's a fairly hefty spec, P4 with 700 something MB's of RAM.
>

reasonable spec.

> Thoughts?
>

Lap top HDD drives are a bit slower that desktops. Battery gives built in
UPS so thats good for a server.I have run one for a good while as a web
server...

>
> --
> My reply address is invalid.
> Please post replies to the group.
> Messages sent via Google Groups are 'auto-ignored'
> XPS M1710 / 2.16 GHz dual core / 2Gb DDR2 / nVidia GeForce 7950GTX

In message <HICdnQSIHs9VMZTbnZ2dnUVZ8t2snZ2d@eclipse.net.uk> "David
Wade" <g8mqw@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Once you go fo a server OS the free AV programs tend to stop working...

I'd call that a feature, not a bug.
--
Insert something clever here.

keith wrote:

> But something still niggles in case it burnt the house down ......

remember you don't even need to be 'out' away from the house...

> Unless ...... site that says "OK to leave unattended"!?

With the massive recalls that took place last year over faulty batteries
I doubt any manufacturer (with common sense) will make the claim. If it
is going to say anyhing, I'd expect:- "Don't leave it unattended!"


I like the idea of a machine being used as a workstation too, but since
there are many PCs of lower spec owned by non-gamers (*) there may well
be a better home for this laptop (eg via the local paper, for a student
quite short on funds) and something a bit less powerful could serve.

I'd suggest using Freecycle if spare is a true description (but put out
a 'wanted' mail message to get the lower spec machine first, to run as
the domain controller, then pass on the high spec laptop after). For
anyone unfamiliar, FreeCyle.org has the aim of getting items locally
recycled by gift as good deeds, rather than ending up on a tip.


(*) pure guesswork, based on 700+ MB of RAM, as I have a couple of PCs
on the bench to look at for clients... one is 512 MB, the other 256 MB
and both were fairly recently bought - within 15 to 30 months.