[GTALUG] Advice -- Building Debian 8 PC To Replace Win XP PC;

o1bigtenor o1bigtenor at gmail.com
Mon Jul 25 12:15:36 EDT 2016


On Mon, Jul 25, 2016 at 9:47 AM, Steve Petrie, P.Eng. via talk
<talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
> Warm Greetings To GTALUG,
>
> Please forgive the long email. -- have to provide some background.
>
> BACKGROUND --  BUILDING DEBIAN 8 PC TO REPLACE WIN XP PC
>
> I'm working to replace an old Dell Windows XP SP3 PC with a new PC, booting
> Debian Linux 8 as the primary OS, with Win 7 set up to run under QEMU / KVM
> vbirtualization under Debian. A multi-boot setup will allow booting Windows
> 7 (OEM) on bare metal, if required for occasional use.  I definitely am NOT
> going to use MS Windows as the primary OS in my new desktop PC !!
>
> I have almost no Linux / Unix experience. Some years ago doing application
> programming on IBM AIX / Korn shell and now for personal and business uses,
> getting into Debian Linux (and DragonFlyBSD) on cloud-hosted QEMU / KVM
> virtualization servers. However I do have a strong IT background. (I'm a
> "retired" software engineer).

I haven't run the QEMU/KVM VM setup you are talking about but I have run
Oracle's VirtualBox VM setup. Not an expert by any stretch but have found some
holes and some good things in VirtualBox (called VBox sometimes). Would suggest
that you look into it for an idea. I have a Win7 iteration with it
having no network
connection or one might call it in an electronic jail.
>
> On 7 January 2016 I sent an inquiry email to hi at gtalug.org and Myles
> Braithwaite responded instantly with helpfull suggestions for which I was
> very grateful. Myles also encouraged to join the talk at gtalug.org mailing
> list and so now here I am.
>
> I'm looking for advice from GTALUG members on two issues:
>
> 1. Comments on my proposed PC configuration. I have already researched
> components and developed a detailed hardware configuration for the new PC.
> Please see below. This configuration is not yet published on
> ca.partpicker.com.
>
> 2. Advice on how to get the PC built from components, that I will purchase
> retail and supply to the builder. Here, one option I propose is for a
> "creative" solution from GTALUG (see point 3, next section).
>
> * * *
> * * *
>
> HOW TO BUILD THE NEW DEBIAN 8 PC ?
>
snip

I worked for a number of months building systems so I can tell you that with
minimal guidance it is easy to build a box BUT - - - you will likely
not get any
warranties that way. Would suggest that you get a firm that lets you
'build to your
spec' build it for you. It was $50 the last time I had it done and its then got
a warranty and you know all the parts work (DOA parts do happen!). They
will likely not install Debian or any other flavor of Linux (there are a few
exceptions out there!) so that would be your issue.

>
> From my casual research, there are many Win XP "orphans" like me out  there.
> Not only older-type people stuck on Win XP and wondering what to do before
> their old PC dies. But also there are plenty of small  businesses still
> running XP (in fact there are probably more small business XP  users left,
> than consumer XP users).

There are lots of big businesses that are still running XP - - - think
the banks!
>
> You could consider me in a sense, a "poster senior" for a class of people,
> among whom some could possibly go the Linux route as they migrate away from
> Win XP. If only these poster seniors (or small business Win XP "orphans")
> had a helping hand from e.g. GTALUG. For example, run a kind of GTALUG
> "clinic" that Win XP "orphans" could come to (for a fee) and there work with
> GTALUG members to get their Linux PC built. And later get their data (e.g.
> emails) converted over to e.g. Thunderbird.
>
> Just a thought,  for a way that GTALUG could get more involved with the
> wider community. And perhaps also pull in some club revenue to support
> GTALUG initiatives. Perhsps this is an idea the GTALUG Board could consider.
> I am happy to discuss the idea of being the "guinea pig" for such a project.

Wish I were physically in the GTA catchment!
>
> * * *
> * * *
>
> PROPOSED PC CONFIGURATION
>
> Thsi is decidedly NOT a gamer's PC. It is intended to be an ultra-reliable,
> powerful, fast professional / small business workstation . There is no
> overclocking. There are no add-in graphics cards. It uses established CPU
> technology now being price-discounted because of the introduction of new CPU
> technology.
>
>
> -----------------
> -----------------
> CPU                Intel 4-Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Processor, 64-bit, 6 MB
> cache, max 32 GB RAM, HD graphics;
> CPU Cooler         Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler, height w/fan 158mm,
> clears RAM & PCIe, PWM control;
> Motherboard        ASRock Z97 EXTREME6 ATX LGA1150 Mainboard, PCIe: 2x
> 3.0x16, 1x 2.0x16, 2x 2.0x1, 1x mini,
>                      Ultra M.2 Gen3 8Gb/s x4 (uses 4x PCIe 3.0 CPU socket
> lanes), extra large heat sinks;
> Memory             Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1600
> RAM, 1.35 volt, timings 8-8-8-24;

would suggest going up a notch to 12 or better 16 GB of RAM - - - with running
VMs RAM is a useful commodity!!
> -----------------
> Case               Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case,
> 3-speed fan control (max 3 fans),
>                      bays: fan 9, drive: 2x5.25", 8x3.5", 2xSSD, CPU cooler
> height max 180mm, 2 dust filters;
> Power Supply       EVGA SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified
> Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply;
> -----------------
> Solid State Drive  Samsung SM951 128GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive, AHCI PCIe
> Gen3 8Gb/s x4, 256 MB cache,
>                      P/N MZHPV128HDGM;
> Hard Drive         Western Digital Caviar Blue Internal Hard Drive 750GB
> 3.5" 7200RPM 6Gb/s SATA 64MB cache;

Would suggest going larger on this as it would only be a few dollars to go to
1 TB and not that much more to go to 2 TB. The sweet spot for hard drives
IIRC is right around 3 TB (minimum cost per unit storage per dollar)

> Optical Drive      LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer, SATA, 2/3/4 layers
> (128GB), 4MB data buffer;
> -----------------
> Video Monitor      LG 22MB35DM-I 21.5" Monitor Full HD 1080p 1920x1080 IPS
> LED Back-lit, DVI-D, D-Sub,
>                      contrast ratios: (static 1,000:1), (dynamic 5M:1),
> reader mode, flicker-safe;

Would suggest running 2 of these - - - you'd find yourself wondering how you
had done without before! (I'm running 4 (24") and wish I had the money to add
the 5th!)

> Keyboard           Dell SK-8110 PS/2 Keyboard, PS/2 Interface, Black, DP/N
> 07N242, 104 keys,
>                      cable with purple 6 pin mini-DIN male (PS/2 STYLE)
> connector;

Have you ever considered an ergonomic keyboard?
Love mine and it makes typing fast much easier on the hands!!

> Mouse              Logitech SBF-96 PS/2 Wired Optical Mouse, 3 Buttons,
> wheel,
>                      cable with green 6 pin mini-DIN male (PS/2 STYLE)
> connector;
> -----------------
> Dialup Modem       US Robotics USR5638 56K* V.92, internal dial-up faxmodem
> card,
>                      (PCIe) PCI Express x1;

Not sure how well this will work in a *nix system - - - would need to
verify that
drivers are available!!!

> -----------------
> -----------------
> Multi-Boot
>   Main Host OS     O/S Debian 8 LXDE Linux -- x86_64 (QEMU / KVM host o/s to
> Win7 x86_64 guest o/s);
>                      ISO on DVD (standard Debian installation ISO **NOT LIVE
> installation ISO**);
>     Guest OS           Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full, 32/64-bit,
> from ISO on DVD (guest o/s of Deb8);
> Emergency OS       Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full, 32/64-bit, ISO on
> DVD (emergency multi-boot);
> -----------------
> -----------------
> Cables @@@???
> Power Bar @@@???
> -----------------
> -----------------
>
> The same configuratiton is attached as a PDF <ca.pcpartpicker.com --
> deb8_win7_dual-boot_PC_business_24_7_duty - summary_bare - Steve_Petrie -
> 20160313.pdf>.
>
> For simplicity, I have omitted mention of: a SCSI controller, and a SCSI
> tape drive, and speakers. All of which I will acquire later, after the base
> PC is working.

Why would you want the tape drive - - - use the blueray - - - you have
125 GB of
room - - - even the 25 GB discs are almost cheap - - - that's lots of
work product
space!

Dee


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