Linux server with an old computer

Hi :-)

I've got an old pentium I 133Mhz, 32Mb Ram, 2Gb HD, Lan Network Card,
Floppy (NO cdrom).
I'd like to connect it to my DSL-router and:

- set up a Linux ftp/web server (apache+php)
- (if possible) remove keyboard and monitor and install a server remote
control program.

Is it possible, or it's just a "dream"?
I'm not sure how to start (what distro select, etc...), so every
tip/suggestion is welcome...

Thank YOU in advance :-)

Beta <jamaica@ciaoweb.it> wrote:
>Hi :-)
>
>I've got an old pentium I 133Mhz, 32Mb Ram, 2Gb HD, Lan Network Card,
>Floppy (NO cdrom).
>I'd like to connect it to my DSL-router and:
>
>- set up a Linux ftp/web server (apache+php)
>- (if possible) remove keyboard and monitor and install a server remote
>control program.
>
>Is it possible, or it's just a "dream"?
>I'm not sure how to start (what distro select, etc...), so every
>tip/suggestion is welcome...
>
>Thank YOU in advance :-)

It would work just fine. However, I would suggest using it
*only* as a router/firewall, and *not* running any application
on it which should be on the otherside of the firewall. Strip
it down totally and don't even have software on it that is
uneeded for the router/firewall role.

In fact, you might still be able (I haven't checked this out in
some time) to have a complete router/firewall that loads from a
single floppy. If not, if you can burn a CD, it can certainly
be put on one disk. Add an old CDROM and a second NIC, and you
have something that would be impossible to corrupt with a
rootkit. Every time you reboot, it restores everything from a
hardware read/only device.

(I'll admit to having the equipment to do that, but not the
ambition. My firewall boots from a HD... :-)

Buy, bum, barrow or steal another old computer to use as a web
server. Old equiment is a dime a dozen... and you probably
want something a little faster than that one for a web server
anyway. Old PII CPUs are about right.

--
FloydL. Davidson <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd@barrow.com

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 12:12:28 +0000, Beta wrote:

> I've got an old pentium I 133Mhz, 32Mb Ram, 2Gb HD, Lan Network Card,
> Floppy (NO cdrom).
> I'd like to connect it to my DSL-router and:
>
> - set up a Linux ftp/web server (apache+php)
> - (if possible) remove keyboard and monitor and install a server remote
> control program.
>
> Is it possible, or it's just a "dream"?
It is not just possible, it is a fairly common setup. People
use old machines for a variety of services (firewalls,
mail/DNS/web/ftp/file servers, etc.). Your web server probably
will not sustain high load but it should be more than enough
for, say, posting your photo album for friends and family to
view. You should not need any server remote control programs --
just ssh to it and do anything you want.

> I'm not sure how to start (what distro select, etc...), so every
> tip/suggestion is welcome...
You can do what you intend with any distribution; it boils down
to personal preferences. I have been using Debian at home and
work for 6+ years (moved from Slackware for ease of upgrades,
administration and excellent security updates).

The biggest question is how will you install Linux. On a system
with a CDROM drive you can pop in a bootable CD in and install
the system. It is generally more tedious without it -- you
need to provide files to bootstrap the system either on
floppies or preload them on HDD. For Debian you can start with
6 floppies (boot floppy, root floppy, and 4 driver floppies).
That is enough to bring up networking, the rest of the system
can be installed over the network; installer will offer you
this choice. See network install documentation on
http://www.debian.org

I have installed Debian this way (with 6 floppies) in the past
without any problems, although today I would just find a CDROM
drive and pop it in to save some time.

HTH.

--
Best regards,
Alex

In article <ca4n40$lji$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com>, ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge (Hactar) wrote:
>In article <Xns950290CDCA538jamaicaciaowebit@195.31.190.131 >,
>Beta <jamaica@ciaoweb.it> wrote:
>> I've got an old pentium I 133Mhz, 32Mb Ram, 2Gb HD, Lan Network Card,
>> Floppy (NO cdrom).
>> I'd like to connect it to my DSL-router and:
>>
>> - set up a Linux ftp/web server (apache+php)
>> - (if possible) remove keyboard and monitor and install a server remote
>> control program.
>
>Some BIOSes won't boot without a keyboard, but no monitor should be fine.

Check the BIOS setup. There might be something that say Halt on: All errors
except keyboard. Got this on my old PC which I just configurated as a firewall
with 4 NICs. Works fine. Boot without keyboard and monitor.

--
Jørn Dahl-Stamnes