Linux on a floppy...

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Don't know if this has been covered here before but I found a
link that might be of interest to those making 'crackracks'. I never got to make my own due to finacial setbacks. Things are
starting to look up again and I am searching for the 'best bang for the buck'. I forget who recently posted a link about using a rod to separate the motherboards. That *ROCKED*! I am getting the fever again. This is bad... =)

http://freshmeat.net/projects/buildyourlinuxdisk/Build Your Own Linux Disk on a Floppy

 

[Napalm381]

Check out KLinux, courtesy of Kilowatt, for a bootable dnet floppy.

 

[BurntKooshie]

don't forget CCalverts version - made completely from scratch.

 

[Kilowatt]

Are you talking about this link?
#8 threaded rod will fit right through the mobo holes.
I don't think I'd use metal nuts though, they could cause a short, I'm using nylon nuts.

If you can hold off untill Monday, I'll have my "New Improved Klinux"
published at the Klinux site.

This time, I've covered all CPU's from 486 to 686, and dang near every nic linux supports.
I've wrote a couple small scripts to help people new to linux get the distro going, and cracking after making the floppy image.

 

[MWalkden]

Go Kilowatt! (he didn't mention the proformance gain using his KLinux!)

 

[mindless]

how much ram will your newest version need?

 

[blade47]

I sure wish one of you Linux experts could write us seti guys a boot disk to run seti on a crack rack. It would have to be idiot proof though if I was going to use it.

 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Kilowatt...You the man, without a doubt. That is the cleanest, most professional, lowcost setup I have seen. I hope you feel honored if I steal your design for myself. Need to find a rack and doing some research on motherboards. I would want to make them identical. Once I build my crackrack, I may have a few slot 1 Celerons for anyone wanted to make a 'mixed' crackrack.

How much faster is running RC5 under Linux compared to DOS? I had a few machines connecting to a NT box and sharing the buffer files. I know if I go with Linux I can get a motherboard that support 2 or more CPUs.

-GWN

-Fixed a typo. Dammit, I cant type or proof read.

 

[Kilowatt]

The 486 - 586 versions, I tested with 8MB.
I tried 4MB, but it couldn't make enough ramdisk to hold everything.
The 486 - 586 versions, are not SMP enabled, and I only tested with a small amount (8) of workunits for the buff-in.

You'll have to remember, the more memory on the mobo, the more you could hold in the buffers.
8MB, doesn't leave much room at all for anything.

The 686 versions, I only tested with 32MB, but I don't see why it wouldn't run with 16MB.

No matter what version you'll want to use, I'd suggest just buffering enough to let the machine cycle it's buffers back to it's server every hour, to hour and a half.

<Edit> GreatWhite, that's not my design, I was just researching &quot;Beowulf&quot; when I came across it, and really like that design idea.
I found 18in #8 threaded rod at Lowes, and only have 4 mobos spaced out on it.

 

[mindless]

Kilowatt you sir are the man.

 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Do they have Y atx power cables. I just think it is a waste to put one PS per CPU when you are only power the MB+CPU.

I asked this one the CPU/Overclocking forum but I will throw it out here too. Can a Celermine run at 2 volts if it is cooled enough? Meaning a quality HS and fan?

-GWN

 

[JonB]

If those NICs would boot from ROM or from the server, you could remove the CPU fans, unglue the floppy drives, then submerge the whole setup in chilled mineral oil. Then overclock the crap out of it.

 

[Russ]

<< Do they have Y atx power cables. >>



I'd sure like to find these for Crack Rack, The Sequel (aka #2). I really don't want to spend hours splicing.

GreatWhiteNorth,

Is your question about running the C2 at 2v based on an assumption about the voltage capabilities of a particular motherboard? If so, which one? You'd be surprised how many have 1.5v available. Most VRM's on Slot One boards manufactured in the last couple years have a range of 1.3 to 2.5. I have some Tekram LX boards that support the Coppermine Celerons just fine.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Lord Demios]

Little off topic, but yes you can get atx Y spliters. Most states have a custom cable manufacture that makes cables for computer hardware. When I was doing TMR I found that I could order 15 of them for about 160 dollars. Now the problem is with a Y spliter is the current running through the wires of the power supply. They are really unable to handle to much more of a load on the 5 and 12 volt lines.

Hense the reason TMR has custom Power supplies.

LD

 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Russ,

I have a few of these BookPC computers. They have an older i810 MB and I dont see an option for dropping the voltage. The manual only shows that it supports 2 volts but maybe it will detect the chip. I don't know for sure. I am willing to buy the cheapest C-II chip I can purchase and pray for the best. I like these BookPCs for my test Lab. They are small and fast enough to run most software on. I was going to use them as my crackrack but now I think I will use Kilowatt's idea (link) and mount them on the steel rods. Home Depot is going to love me...hehehe

I am looking to get powercables like I have at work. They have one connector and split to the three redundant power supplies on our servers. Does Compaq sell cables like this to the public or can you or Dan grab a few? I am looking to reduce cabling to keep it as clean looking as possible. Yeah, I am anal, so please forgive me. =)

-GWN

My personal quest - Make DPC into ground beef. Who wants to have a BBQ? =)