main January 2013

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28 participants
43 discussions

Leetkey
by Anthony Anson 13 Jan '13

13 Jan '13

ISTR a workround for adding Leetkey to Thunderbird 17 was sent to the list. Am I dreaming? If my memory is correct I can rootle through everything I have saved from ALUG on the old Eee. If I am wrong, what is the last version in which Leetkey works? If I go onto the Mozilla website and install it, will it replace Mozilla 17, or install another one beside it? -- Tony

4 8

Backup Disk Freeze - Any cause clue from syslog?
by steve-alug＠hst.me.uk 13 Jan '13

13 Jan '13

Hi! My backup system has recently started causing me some grief. I'm running backuppc backing up to an IDE drive in a Netgear SC101 SAN storage box. There are two drives in this device, and the second one is being talked to by Simple Backup, and is working fine. The main/bigger drive is /dev/nbd1 and backuppc has started hanging whilst using it. It doesn't happen straight away - it's several hours after the backup has been started. If I power everything down, wait and switch it back on again, all the drives spin up and seem to work ok again. The SC101 is attached via the SC101-nbd project driver. http://code.google.com/p/sc101-nbd/ It has all been working fine until recently. Nothing's changed, apart from installing routine security updates (inc kernel updates) I'm running ubuntu 10.04. I'm currently doing a deep check on the disk using a tool from Ultimate boot Cd appropriate for the drive manufacturer, but a quick check said the disk's OK. Any ideas why it's hanging like this? Once hung, I can't even ls the disk - it's completely blocked. I tried reformatting it yesterday, and erasing and reinstalling backuppc, but it crashed again. Some of Syslog output below - there's many more after this one, but this is the first. Possible candidates: Disk SAN controller Main PC faulty Disk sleeping and failing to wake again. Any ideas guys? Cheers Steve Jan 11 07:00:28 myserver ntpd[1950]: kernel time sync status change 6001 Jan 11 07:02:01 myserver CRON[11758]: (logcheck) CMD ( if [ -x /usr/sbin/logcheck ]; then nice -n10 /usr/sbin/logcheck; fi) Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212092] INFO: task jbd2/nbd1-8:12704 blocked for more than 120 seconds. Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212100] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212104] jbd2/nbd1-8 D 00005645 0 12704 2 0x00000000 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212113] c6ce9de4 00000046 f7490000 00005645 00000000 c08964e0 c47b9c24 c08964e0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212123] 3c1ac4f3 0000299c c08964e0 c08964e0 c47b9c24 c08964e0 c08964e0 d7e7d800 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212131] 00000000 0000299c c47b9980 c47b9980 c30094e0 c6ce9e2c c6ce9df4 c05b71a1 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212140] Call Trace: Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212157] [<c05b71a1>] io_schedule+0x61/0xa0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212165] [<c01d4b9d>] sync_page+0x3d/0x50 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212171] [<c05b795d>] __wait_on_bit+0x4d/0x70 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212176] [<c01d4b60>] ? sync_page+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212181] [<c01d4dc1>] wait_on_page_bit+0x91/0xa0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212187] [<c0170e90>] ? wake_bit_function+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212193] [<c01d5051>] wait_on_page_writeback_range+0xa1/0x110 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212201] [<c023ca2e>] ? bio_alloc_bioset+0x2e/0xf0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212209] [<c02da977>] ? jbd2_journal_write_metadata_buffer+0x277/0x370 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212215] [<c01d511a>] filemap_fdatawait+0x5a/0x70 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212221] [<c02d2bae>] jbd2_journal_commit_transaction+0x51e/0x1030 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212230] [<c01311b8>] ? default_spin_lock_flags+0x8/0x10 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212236] [<c0164c78>] ? try_to_del_timer_sync+0x68/0xb0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212241] [<c02d93d5>] kjournald2+0x95/0x1c0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212247] [<c0170e40>] ? autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212252] [<c02d9340>] ? kjournald2+0x0/0x1c0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212256] [<c0170bb4>] kthread+0x74/0x80 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212261] [<c0170b40>] ? kthread+0x0/0x80 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212267] [<c010a467>] kernel_thread_helper+0x7/0x10 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212278] INFO: task flush-43:16:11670 blocked for more than 120 seconds. Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212281] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212285] flush-43:16 D 00000484 0 11670 2 0x00000000 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212291] c46d3b34 00000046 c07eaa20 00000484 00000000 c08964e0 ef5735a4 c08964e0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212300] f5f3884b 0000299a c08964e0 c08964e0 ef5735a4 c08964e0 c08964e0 e8566a00 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212308] f5f2b230 0000299a ef573300 c2e0afe0 eb6accc0 c46d3b74 c46d3b94 c02d1ec5 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212316] Call Trace: Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212324] [<c02d1ec5>] do_get_write_access+0x245/0x440 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212330] [<c0170e90>] ? wake_bit_function+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212336] [<c02d2238>] jbd2_journal_get_write_access+0x28/0x40 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212343] [<c02bb3fe>] __ext4_journal_get_write_access+0x2e/0x60 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212349] [<c02bd611>] ext4_mb_mark_diskspace_used+0x61/0x2f0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212354] [<c02c38a6>] ext4_mb_new_blocks+0x306/0x590 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212360] [<c02b8613>] ? ext4_ext_find_extent+0x253/0x280 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212365] [<c02baf12>] ext4_ext_get_blocks+0x472/0x700 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212373] [<c0298f98>] ext4_get_blocks+0xf8/0x2c0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212379] [<c02997c9>] mpage_da_map_blocks+0x99/0x410 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212385] [<c02b0d90>] ? ext4_journal_start_sb+0xc0/0xf0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212390] [<c0296917>] ? ext4_meta_trans_blocks+0xb7/0xd0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212396] [<c0299dc9>] ext4_da_writepages+0x289/0x580 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212403] [<c01489d9>] ? update_curr+0x169/0x2a0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212410] [<c01dc66c>] do_writepages+0x1c/0x40 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212417] [<c0232a15>] writeback_single_inode+0xd5/0x380 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212422] [<c02331f9>] writeback_sb_inodes+0x149/0x230 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212427] [<c023364a>] writeback_inodes_wb+0x8a/0x160 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212432] [<c0233903>] wb_writeback+0x1e3/0x230 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212438] [<c0233a81>] wb_do_writeback+0x131/0x140 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212443] [<c0233acb>] bdi_writeback_task+0x3b/0xb0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212448] [<c01eb9e0>] ? bdi_start_fn+0x0/0xc0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212453] [<c01eba3d>] bdi_start_fn+0x5d/0xc0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212457] [<c01eb9e0>] ? bdi_start_fn+0x0/0xc0 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212461] [<c0170bb4>] kthread+0x74/0x80 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212466] [<c0170b40>] ? kthread+0x0/0x80 Jan 11 07:04:11 myserver kernel: [45960.212471] [<c010a467>] kernel_thread_helper+0x7/0x10 Jan 11 07:05:01 myserver CRON[11897]: (root) CMD (if [ -x /usr/bin/vnstat ] && [ `ls /var/lib/vnstat/ | wc -l` -ge 1 ]; then /usr/bin/vnstat -u; fi) Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212093] INFO: task jbd2/nbd1-8:12704 blocked for more than 120 seconds. Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212101] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212106] jbd2/nbd1-8 D 00005645 0 12704 2 0x00000000 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212114] c6ce9de4 00000046 f7490000 00005645 00000000 c08964e0 c47b9c24 c08964e0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212124] 3c1ac4f3 0000299c c08964e0 c08964e0 c47b9c24 c08964e0 c08964e0 d7e7d800 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212132] 00000000 0000299c c47b9980 c47b9980 c30094e0 c6ce9e2c c6ce9df4 c05b71a1 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212140] Call Trace: Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212156] [<c05b71a1>] io_schedule+0x61/0xa0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212165] [<c01d4b9d>] sync_page+0x3d/0x50 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212171] [<c05b795d>] __wait_on_bit+0x4d/0x70 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212175] [<c01d4b60>] ? sync_page+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212180] [<c01d4dc1>] wait_on_page_bit+0x91/0xa0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212187] [<c0170e90>] ? wake_bit_function+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212192] [<c01d5051>] wait_on_page_writeback_range+0xa1/0x110 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212200] [<c023ca2e>] ? bio_alloc_bioset+0x2e/0xf0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212207] [<c02da977>] ? jbd2_journal_write_metadata_buffer+0x277/0x370 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212213] [<c01d511a>] filemap_fdatawait+0x5a/0x70 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212219] [<c02d2bae>] jbd2_journal_commit_transaction+0x51e/0x1030 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212228] [<c01311b8>] ? default_spin_lock_flags+0x8/0x10 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212234] [<c0164c78>] ? try_to_del_timer_sync+0x68/0xb0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212239] [<c02d93d5>] kjournald2+0x95/0x1c0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212245] [<c0170e40>] ? autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212250] [<c02d9340>] ? kjournald2+0x0/0x1c0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212254] [<c0170bb4>] kthread+0x74/0x80 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212259] [<c0170b40>] ? kthread+0x0/0x80 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212265] [<c010a467>] kernel_thread_helper+0x7/0x10 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212277] INFO: task flush-43:16:11670 blocked for more than 120 seconds. Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212282] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212285] flush-43:16 D 00000484 0 11670 2 0x00000000 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212292] c46d3b34 00000046 c07eaa20 00000484 00000000 c08964e0 ef5735a4 c08964e0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212300] f5f3884b 0000299a c08964e0 c08964e0 ef5735a4 c08964e0 c08964e0 e8566a00 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212309] f5f2b230 0000299a ef573300 c2e0afe0 eb6accc0 c46d3b74 c46d3b94 c02d1ec5 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212317] Call Trace: Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212325] [<c02d1ec5>] do_get_write_access+0x245/0x440 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212331] [<c0170e90>] ? wake_bit_function+0x0/0x50 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212337] [<c02d2238>] jbd2_journal_get_write_access+0x28/0x40 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212344] [<c02bb3fe>] __ext4_journal_get_write_access+0x2e/0x60 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212349] [<c02bd611>] ext4_mb_mark_diskspace_used+0x61/0x2f0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212354] [<c02c38a6>] ext4_mb_new_blocks+0x306/0x590 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212359] [<c02b8613>] ? ext4_ext_find_extent+0x253/0x280 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212364] [<c02baf12>] ext4_ext_get_blocks+0x472/0x700 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212372] [<c0298f98>] ext4_get_blocks+0xf8/0x2c0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212377] [<c02997c9>] mpage_da_map_blocks+0x99/0x410 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212383] [<c02b0d90>] ? ext4_journal_start_sb+0xc0/0xf0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212388] [<c0296917>] ? ext4_meta_trans_blocks+0xb7/0xd0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212393] [<c0299dc9>] ext4_da_writepages+0x289/0x580 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212400] [<c01489d9>] ? update_curr+0x169/0x2a0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212407] [<c01dc66c>] do_writepages+0x1c/0x40 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212413] [<c0232a15>] writeback_single_inode+0xd5/0x380 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212418] [<c02331f9>] writeback_sb_inodes+0x149/0x230 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212422] [<c023364a>] writeback_inodes_wb+0x8a/0x160 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212427] [<c0233903>] wb_writeback+0x1e3/0x230 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212433] [<c0233a81>] wb_do_writeback+0x131/0x140 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212438] [<c0233acb>] bdi_writeback_task+0x3b/0xb0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212443] [<c01eb9e0>] ? bdi_start_fn+0x0/0xc0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212447] [<c01eba3d>] bdi_start_fn+0x5d/0xc0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212451] [<c01eb9e0>] ? bdi_start_fn+0x0/0xc0 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212455] [<c0170bb4>] kthread+0x74/0x80 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212459] [<c0170b40>] ? kthread+0x0/0x80 Jan 11 07:06:11 myserver kernel: [46080.212464] [<c010a467>] kernel_thread_helper+0x7/0x10 Jan 11 07:08:11 myserver kernel: [46200.212124] INFO: task jbd2/nbd1-8:12704 blocked for more than 120 seconds.

3 3

Have I bought the wrong kit?
by Chris Walker 11 Jan '13

11 Jan '13

I am fed up with the cheap Huawei router that Talktalk supply so decided I would go for something that will run ddwrt. Having looked at the ddwrt site, I then started looking at Amazon. I decided I would buy a Buffalo Air Station and went for a WZR-HP-AG300H. But it tells me I should connect it to my modem. <Thinks> Hmm. Thought that was built-in. Look again at spec. B*gger. So should I buy a cheap ADSL modem or ask Amazon if they'll take it back and buy another Air Station but this time, one with the correct specs?

2 1

Barebones
by Laurie Brown 11 Jan '13

11 Jan '13

Over the last few years, we have been building small servers using Asus barebones systems. They've been great, and we can install whatever CPU we like, disks, memory, flavour of Linux and so on. They have proven to be relatively cheap and highly reliable machines. However, I just can't seem to find them any more! Our requirement is room for at least 3 SATA disks, preferably 4 plus DVD, multi-core CPU, preferably AMD, good PSU, and capable of taking at least 8Gb of memory. I can find loads of tiny machines great for firewalls and so on, but nothing any larger. Even the Shuttles, still easily found, can't hold enough disks. Does anyone know of a reliable supplier of Asus barebones, or something similar? The last thing I want to do is spend 4 figures on an HP and throw away a licence for Winblow$. Yes, I know I can buy a case, mobo and so on, but that's a laborious exercise if regular, and kit becomes obsolete so fast, it has to be repeated almost every time we build a machine. We've looked at Zoostorm, which is the closest I can find, but they aren't barebones, and we don't need a 2tb disk, just because we want 8Gb of memory. With Zoostorm, it seems that the higher the CPU/memory spec, the bigger the disks, and so on, and it's very hard to find out what the mobo is, and whether it's Linux-friendly. Just too many unknowns and potentially expensive pitfalls. Help/guidance greatly appreciated! Cheers, Laurie. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurie Brown laurie(a)brownowl.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------

4 7

Going spare...
by Mark Rogers 11 Jan '13

11 Jan '13

I have this motherboard, with CPU (couldn't tell you what CPU from memory): http://reviews.cnet.com/motherboards/abit-nf7-s2g-motherboard/4505-3049_7-3… Could likely find some RAM to go with it. Socket A so not high spec, but might be a good replacement for a failed board. I also have at least one Fujitsu Siemens Econel server with dead motherboard (PSU and CPU fine, I believe). Good solid metal cases with loads of drive bays etc, but not worth repairing. Should take standard motherboards if you can find one that the CPU fits relative to where the PSU is. Free for collection from Peterborough. Mark -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) @ 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG

1 0

Nice confirmation of mail not getting lost when SMTP server isn't available
by Chris Green 11 Jan '13

11 Jan '13

Over the past few days I have been playing about with the DNS on my LAN (changing which server runs dnsmasq, etc.). Last night around 22:00 I left everything, as I thought, running OK. This morning though no E-Mails had arrived on my desktop (which is also the SMTP server). It turned out that I hadn't restarted things enough and my dekstop had got a randomly assigned IP address rather than the fixed one it should have got (by telling dnsmasq its MAC address). So TsoHost's mail system hadn't been able to deliver mail to zbmc.eu for something like 12 hours. It was a good test for two things:- My offsite mail backup to which I deliver all my mail in parallel to delivery to my dekstop worked perfectly, so I could see all the undelivered mail there. When I fixed the IP address of my desktop all the undelivered mail arrived on my desktop after an hour or two. Isn't it nice when things work as they should! :-) -- Chris Green

1 0

Anyone use x2go or similar software?
by Chris Green 11 Jan '13

11 Jan '13

I was considering using VNC to access another box on my LAN but as the remote system (which would run a VNC server) doesn't currently have X running on it (though there's a Lubuntu desktop available) it makes VNC rather awkward. I've seen x2go recommended for this sort of situation as it seems as if it's more oriented towards the sort of thing I want to do - fire up an X session and use it remotely. While it would be nice if one could use 'old fashioned' X as it was originally designed it tends not to work so well with very many programs now using dBus to communicate. E.g. if I try and run nm-connection-editor on the remote system via an "ssh -x remote-system" connection it pops up a window on my system but there's an error:- ** (nm-connection-editor:3088): WARNING **: Couldn't connect to accessibility bus: Failed to connect to socket /tmp/dbus-9FFbE3UfRz: Connection refused ... and it doesn't actually work. Or can anyone suggest how to get around the dBus communication issue? -- Chris Green

3 4

Full size but low power PCs - does nobody sell them? (maybe related to Laurie's recent question)
by Chris Green 10 Jan '13

10 Jan '13

Why is it that no one seems to sell 'ordinary' PCs, in ordinary sized boxes, but with reasonably power efficient components. It's next to impossible to even find out what the power consumption is of most desktop PCs and very few of them have efficient power supplies (often the worst offender). It's all very well advocating little Intel Atom based boxes but they almost never have any space for extra disk drives. The same applies to Raspberry Pi etc., very low power but no easy way to assemble in a box with a couple of disk drives. I guess I'm after much the same as Laurie but with maybe more emphasis on power consumption. A basic case with low power mother board, low end processor, etc. and space for several disks. -- Chris Green

2 3

Are there any linux based NAS systems out there with reasonable audio output?
by Chris Green 10 Jan '13

10 Jan '13

I want a compact, low power Linux box to use as a NAS and audio streamer (probably running mpd). This is a slightly odd mix of requirements, does anyone have any suggestions of what to look at? Alternatively maybe a 'media streamer' would provide what I want, but I need it to have audio outputs and be able to run something like mpd so that it can run headless and be driven remotely. A custom built Linux box is a valid possibility too but getting a small, low-power one isn't trivial. (Raspberry Pi is out because its audio is notoriously bad and there seem to be few workarounds to avoid its sound problems) -- Chris Green

3 7

Re: [ALUG] Full size but low power PCs - does nobody sell them? (maybe related to Laurie's recent question)
by Chris Green 10 Jan '13

10 Jan '13

On Thu, Jan 10, 2013 at 04:47:47PM +0000, Anthony Anson wrote: > On 10/01/13 16:19, Chris Green wrote: > >Why is it that no one seems to sell 'ordinary' PCs, in ordinary sized > >boxes, but with reasonably power efficient components. > > If you don't feel competent to build one from scratch, go to a > proper computer shop (where are you? I can recommend some in the > Norwich area.) and they will put one together for you - probably > cheaper than you could. > I've been building my PCs since quite a long time ago (like since they were 386 processors, and NextGen processors - remember them?). However nowadays it doesn't really make economic sense. > >It's next to impossible to even find out what the power consumption is > >of most desktop PCs and very few of them have efficient power supplies > >(often the worst offender). > > > >It's all very well advocating little Intel Atom based boxes but they > >almost never have any space for extra disk drives. The same applies to > >Raspberry Pi etc., very low power but no easy way to assemble in a box > >with a couple of disk drives. > > Not a tremendous challenge though. > It's not a challenge putting a Raspberry Pi in a box and adding some USB disks, no. However it won't be a particularly good server. The difficulty is finding out which motherboards are low power and then finding a suitably efficient power supply. My desktop machine (Intel I3, 8Gb memory, two 1Tb disks) consumes only about 40 watts because I chose a reasonably low power board (after much searching to find information) and an efficient power supply. It's still a *bit* of a bodge though because the power supply isn't designed to fit in a standard box. Since my system only uses 40 watts it needs a much smaller power supply than most full-sized PC ones. Even a very efficient 300 watt power supply isn't going to be particularly good at 40 watts. I'm using an 80 watt supply. > >I guess I'm after much the same as Laurie but with maybe more emphasis > >on power consumption. A basic case with low power mother board, low end > >processor, etc. and space for several disks. > > Then you can run Tom's RTBT and have a low-end OS too? > > This is where your competent small trader scores. Try Anglian Internet. > I'd be *really* surprised if they know power consumption figures for assembled PCs (before they assemble them that is, I can measure the consumption of something I've built). I will send them an enquiry though. -- Chris Green

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