More free PCs!

I did a number of things this past week-end.

After a fierce battle with SuSE Linux 10.2 on //grendel (a Gateway E-3200/400) I gave up and switched to Ubuntu. SuSE Linux 10.0 was happy on //grendel but 10.2 was not. (Random lock-ups of keyboard and mouse, usually within sixty seconds of startup.) I tried Kubuntu 9.04 and that was not happy either -- it would install but would not allow me to add or update packages. (A timing issue, I think. It seems to affect older equipment.) I settled on Ubuntu 8.10 which installed and updated without problems. I also installed Apache, PHP, MySQL, and Subversion on //grendel. Apache is running; next is to connect PHP.

Experimenting with //delwood (a "found" PC) shows that the DVD reader is not working. I should be able to replace it cheaply -- a local shop sells used DVD readers. But without installation media I made no progress on installing operating systems.

I had more success with //deliliah (the other "found" PC, a Dell desktop) and installed Ubuntu Linux 9.04 and Kubuntu Linux 9.04. Using different partitions is possible but perhaps somewhat clunky. I think with //delwood I will install SuSE Linux 11.1 and use Sun's VirtualBox to host other operating systems.

I found two *more* PCs here in my apartment building, in "the giving place" (another name for the trash pile). Two Dell desktop units that show signs of use but not abuse. Both had been robbed of parts and only one is usable. (The other had been robbed of everything including the CPU and the power supply.) A quick estimate shows that I can get the usable one up and running for less than $100. This PC can hold 4 GB RAM and would be a good candidate for hosting virtual machines.