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Thread: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

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    Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    I am toying with the idea of converting a PC into a low power Linux home file server so that I can access all my TV, Music, Photos throughout a home network without having a full power PC running all the time, also would use for Downloading.

    To minimise power use and to complicate my life :-) I would like to run the OS off a Flash card, so HDD is only for file storage. Can this be done with Ubuntu server and can I just run this through a normal 3.5" internal Flash card reader installed in a USB Mobo Socket?

    I am favouring Ubuntu Server just cos I run Ubuntu Desktop on my PCs.

    I could just buy a NAS box but I'd like to have a crack at running a server, plus It gives me an excuse to upgrade a PC.
    HTPC1 - Coolermaster CM330, E2180 + Zalman 9500AT, GA-P31-DS3L, 2x1Gb PC6400 , Antec Earthwatts 430w , Fujitsu 2.5" 40gb HDD, 8600gt, Hannspree 32" LCD TV - Kubuntu 8.04

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  2. #2
    ɯʎɔɐɹsɐʌʍ mycarsavw's Avatar
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ - for desktop flavours.

    Not sure how a server OS would perform though.
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  3. #3
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    Flash Card data transfer Read/Write rates can be from 25mb/s up to 40mb/s, so I thought this would be fast enough
    HTPC1 - Coolermaster CM330, E2180 + Zalman 9500AT, GA-P31-DS3L, 2x1Gb PC6400 , Antec Earthwatts 430w , Fujitsu 2.5" 40gb HDD, 8600gt, Hannspree 32" LCD TV - Kubuntu 8.04

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  4. #4
    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    FreeNAS is very popular (http://www.freenas.org/)

    I believe it can be run from a flash card.

    What a lot of these installs do is boot off the card with a minimal system, create a RAM drive in memory, transfer everything it needs to there then continues booting, so everything is coming from RAM and you are not writing to the flash at all. Speeds things up significantly and prevents any problems with repeated writing to the flash card.

    If i was going to spend the time and effort setting something like this up, I'd use something designed specifically for the job instead of trying to shoe horn a different OS onto the flash card.

  5. #5
    ɯʎɔɐɹsɐʌʍ mycarsavw's Avatar
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    Man, what a tool, I didn't even think of FreeNAS (and I use it!)

    +1 for FreeNAS
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    Intersting concept...

    As for the server (and I know Debian is a bit different - and Ubuntu is a Debian based distro) the only thing that marks a server OS from a desktop ar the applications running on it. I am running Fedora system, originally built as a desktop machine, but it now sits at my feet merrily serving web pages, handling mail, serving files, streaming music in the backgraound as I type this reply to you using Firefox.

    As for the flash card./ I can't really see much advantage tbh. You will still need a hard drive, and you need somewhere to put a swap file. Why not use a couple of 2.5" drives? Thos take 2.5 to 4 watts power (max) and is insignificant compared with the other things in the computer.

    Alternatively you could by a linksys NSLU2 and reflash that and use that as a server. The only problem is that it is a bit underpowered - I use one for streaming audio, it didn't complain too much at running apache, but it did struggle when I put php and MySql on as well.
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  7. #7
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    I did originally think of using a 2.5" drive for the OS and 3.5" for plain storage (which would spin down when not being accessed), but I started favouring the FlashCard idea as I don't know how a 2.5" drive would handle 24/7 operation, are they robust enough? (I've got very little laptop experience)

    I've also heard that Fedora/Ubuntu Server can run ok without a Swapfile.

    How much RAM would you need to run something like FreeNAS where it uses RAM like this, I was planning on 2x512mb PC5300 (as I would have this spare)

    Overall I was thinking of something like a E1200 CPU with 1gig RAM and a single 1TB SATA storage HDD running through my Dell G33 mobo.
    HTPC1 - Coolermaster CM330, E2180 + Zalman 9500AT, GA-P31-DS3L, 2x1Gb PC6400 , Antec Earthwatts 430w , Fujitsu 2.5" 40gb HDD, 8600gt, Hannspree 32" LCD TV - Kubuntu 8.04

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  8. #8
    ɯʎɔɐɹsɐʌʍ mycarsavw's Avatar
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    I have FreeNAS running on some really old hardware - see here
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  9. #9
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    Wow, my proposed system would be plenty then.

    So far I'm not that comfortable with Command line only so would like a GUI system, at first anyway.

    Was thinking of doing all this early next year in the hope that P43/45 boards will have dropped in price somewhat so I can justify it to myself. I really want to be freed from the Dell as a Desktop as I don't like the restrictive BIOS and its limited Mobo design (e.g. single chassis fan connector, poor BIOS fan control, poor airflow, no removable rear IO making case upgrade harder, etc, etc). But appart from not having in built gigbit ethernet it would probably make a good small server once I put in a lower powered CPU removed some RAM, GPU and DVD drive.
    HTPC1 - Coolermaster CM330, E2180 + Zalman 9500AT, GA-P31-DS3L, 2x1Gb PC6400 , Antec Earthwatts 430w , Fujitsu 2.5" 40gb HDD, 8600gt, Hannspree 32" LCD TV - Kubuntu 8.04

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  10. #10
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    Re: Linux Server OS on Flash Card

    I've been running a 2.5" drive of an NSLU2 for over 2 1?2 years now - and that runs pretty much 24x7. My laptop rarely gets shutdown either (although the disk does spin down on that) but a 2.5" derive should be no less reliable than a 3.5". Use 2.5" for both OS and storage. You will be backing it up from time to time....won't you???
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