First, I'm a very inexperienced member of the linux community. I can do basic tasks but really am still a GUI user.
I'm setting up a fileserver at home using an old itx thin client. It's based on the VIA C3 800Mhz 'Samuel' processor and has 512MB RAM. It's obviously for low power. I have an alternative, which is a PIII-S 1.4Ghz Tualatin with 512MB but I am trying to avoid using the latter as it consumes almost exactly double the power (something like 30W vs 65W). Considering this may well be a 24/7 job, this is a big difference (unless I can use the PIII, which is preferable, but invoke some low power states like WOL etc).
Anyway, I digress. I want to use Openfiler - a nice little setup for a n00b like me. Problem - tried to install and then found out that OF use a kernel which doesn't support the VIA CPUs as it requires i686 compatible CPUs. Annoying really... I mean it takes away some of the market for people looking to use it for a low power fileserver. The unhelpful admins then stuck in a line to say something along the lines of 'if you are using one of the old processors, tough - it's about time you upgraded your CPU anyway'.
I almost turned away from it then.
...but, I remember that this is linux. Can I change the kernel to a generic kernel (e.g. the latest stable from kernel.org), which will still function with OF? If so, how the hell would I even go about this task? Is it likely to mess something up?
Note, the OS will be installed on a 4GB CF card which is running on an IDE adapter.
If this isn't possible, given that I don't like ubuntu, I think I'll just get CentOS 5 loaded on there, unless someone can recommend me an alternative. I have a soft spot for CentOS as it was the first distro I tried ever of linux (actually, it was slackware on a P133, but I gave that up as it was too slow on 64MB EDO RAM).
TIA.
smids.
I'm setting up a fileserver at home using an old itx thin client. It's based on the VIA C3 800Mhz 'Samuel' processor and has 512MB RAM. It's obviously for low power. I have an alternative, which is a PIII-S 1.4Ghz Tualatin with 512MB but I am trying to avoid using the latter as it consumes almost exactly double the power (something like 30W vs 65W). Considering this may well be a 24/7 job, this is a big difference (unless I can use the PIII, which is preferable, but invoke some low power states like WOL etc).
Anyway, I digress. I want to use Openfiler - a nice little setup for a n00b like me. Problem - tried to install and then found out that OF use a kernel which doesn't support the VIA CPUs as it requires i686 compatible CPUs. Annoying really... I mean it takes away some of the market for people looking to use it for a low power fileserver. The unhelpful admins then stuck in a line to say something along the lines of 'if you are using one of the old processors, tough - it's about time you upgraded your CPU anyway'.
I almost turned away from it then.
...but, I remember that this is linux. Can I change the kernel to a generic kernel (e.g. the latest stable from kernel.org), which will still function with OF? If so, how the hell would I even go about this task? Is it likely to mess something up?
Note, the OS will be installed on a 4GB CF card which is running on an IDE adapter.
If this isn't possible, given that I don't like ubuntu, I think I'll just get CentOS 5 loaded on there, unless someone can recommend me an alternative. I have a soft spot for CentOS as it was the first distro I tried ever of linux (actually, it was slackware on a P133, but I gave that up as it was too slow on 64MB EDO RAM).
TIA.
smids.
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