The Linux Terminal Server Project: a plug

[flexibeast]

Whilst staying at sacred_harlot's recently, i set up a Linux terminal by using software provided by the Linux Terminal Server Project. i have nothing but praise for this project. Basically, it allows one to set up a Linux box without having to actually install anything on the box's hard disk.

Originally, i had planned to install Linux on this box's hard disk, alongside Windows XP. The hard disk has 16G free on it, so there was ample space for Linux to be installed. It wasn't to be, however, for two reasons:

• The hard disk controller seems to be flaky, which means that it's sometimes visible to the BIOS, and sometimes not. Although i suspect that it's something to do with Windows; the problem only occurs after i've tried to boot Windows (which suddenly resets mid-load), and didn't seem to occur after doing a cold boot of Linux from a floppy¹.


• Even if this wasn't a problem, the fact that Windows doesn't give a hoot about effective disk space usage means that, bizarrely, there is insufficient contiguous free disk space to create a partition for Linux, even though there is 16G free! i did a disk defrag, but that made little difference: the files were spread from one end of the disk to the other. :-/

Cue LTSP. i made a boot floppy which allows one to boot via the network. A DHCP request is sent to the LTSP server, which not only allocates an IP address to the box, but also transfers a Linux kernel to the box via TFTP. After the kernel has booted, it mounts, via NFS, an LTSP-specific root filesystem, together with the /home directory of the server. Finally, it presents a login screen - possibly graphical - to the user, from which the user can log in as though they're logging in on the server box, and use any apps and data that are available to them on that box. The LTSP client doesn't do any processing apart from the graphical processing needed to display things on the screen.

In this specific situation, sacred_harlot's laptop is the server, and a desktop machine is the client . . . . sacred_harlot's household now has two computers available for use. :-)

The Linux Terminal Server Project is awesome. :-)
 

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1. More specifically, a floppy containing tomsrtbt, which is a very handy thing to have around. :-)
 

Comments

Hierodule - an IT Specialist Plug!!!!

[sacred-harlot.livejournal.com]

hey there Gorgeous Partner,

I would just like to thank you so very, very much for perservering so very much trying your darndest to get the windows xp/Linux partition going, it did take you many, many hours and I so appreciate the effort that you put into it, also for setting up the wonderful Linux terminal. This has /already/ made a huge difference to the harmony of our household, as now two of our family can access the internet at the same time, wonderful in a household with two teenage kids!!!

Hierodoule my Love, you are great at a large number of things, *wicked grin* however, you are an IT specialist in your own right and this should be acknowledged!!!! If anyone reading your journal doesn't already know this they do now! Any one wanting quality IT freelance work done for them I reckon need to contact you first!!! They would not be sorry, in fact it would save them an awful lot of searching, as you would be ace at it!!!

Thank you so very much!

Love ya lots and lots sweets, mwa xxx

Sacred Harlot

Re: Hierodule - an IT Specialist Plug!!!!

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

Heh, thanks love! And you're most welcome. :-) *passionate hugs and kisses* More household harmony is always A Good Thing. :-)

"ace", heh, i love the words you use!

And i love you lots and lots too - mwa!

[badpauly.livejournal.com]

Even if this wasn't a problem, the fact that Windows doesn't give a hoot about effective disk space usage means that, bizarrely, there is insufficient contiguous free disk space to create a partition for Linux, even though there is 16G free! i did a disk defrag, but that made little difference: the files were spread from one end of the disk to the other. :-/

Defragging while windows is running rarely works. You need a good defragger that will defrag before windows loads up all it's swap-space etc.

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

Ah! That shows how long it's been since i used Windows on a regular basis: it used to be the case that defragging whilst Windows was running would create large blocks of contiguous free space. There would be some fragmentation due to the swap space being in use, but it was nothing like what i saw the other day: it wasn't just swap space that was scattered across the disk space.

i'd ask you for a recommendation for a good free defragger (since i couldn't afford to purchase one, unless it's under $20), except for the fact that it would not be much use at this stage, given Windows' trouble utilising the hard disk. (Although it can boot into Safe Mode.)

linux is looking like a great choice

[anark1.livejournal.com]

hey there Hierodule, every time we speak you make me aware of all these new features that linux can provide.
i will have to remember to install linux on my old box and give that ago as ive discussed with you previously.
its just about biting that bullet and getting ones hands dirty.

may i ask that the idea is, using a desktop as kind of a dumb terminal and the laptop as the main machine, would that mean the main machine would take a performance hit, or may need to have higher specs if two users were using the pcs independently ?

and yes to any that are reading Hierodule and linux well lets say that Hierodule seems to have the talent to do all these tasks with eyes shut. :) keep up the great work.

hope you are well from Anark1

Re: linux is looking like a great choice

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

its just about biting that bullet and getting ones hands dirty.

Yes, and you will get dirty, as you handle that bundle of software created by that bunch of dirty hippie unAmerican tree-hugging commie freedom-hating anarchists! ;-)

may i ask that the idea is, using a desktop as kind of a dumb terminal and the laptop as the main machine, would that mean the main machine would take a performance hit, or may need to have higher specs if two users were using the pcs independently ?

Actually, the performance hit is pretty minimal, especially when compared with the previous situation, which involved two desktops being open simultaneously on the laptop. Since the laptop no longer actually has to do the graphical processing of two desktops, but instead only one - the graphical processing for the desktop's er, desktop, is now done by the desktop machine itself.

Having said that, my usage of the desktop machine does not involve a lot of file requests being made to the laptop; if it did, i'm pretty sure that the laptop would not be happy.

and yes to any that are reading Hierodule and linux well lets say that Hierodule seems to have the talent to do all these tasks with eyes shut. :) keep up the great work.

Heh, thanks. :-)