New life for my Windows PC? (Installing it as a Linux-server)

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Mar 28, 2007
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Knivsta, Sweden
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Macbook 2.0 c2d 2gb 80gb SD Mac Mini c2d 1.83
Having my PC over from my recent switch to mac, I was wondering how I can use it on my network.

I want the following from it (it´s a P4 3 ghz with 500 gb of disks btw)

* Some Linux
* File and Print server
* Able to connect to it from both Macs and XPs
* Some sort of remote desktop so I can control it from the Mac
* Able to do some power management (Sleeping of disks etc)
* Easy to install and maintain

Is there any special Linux-distro you would recommend? What are you using?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
A 3 GHz PIV has *plenty* of life in it and will run almost any Linux distro out there. Which one you chose depends on your skill level with Linux.

If you are a Linux newbie, I would strongly recommend SuSE Linux. It is fast, powerful and very friendly, and rather like Mac OS X, pretty much it just works. I have been very impressed with it. Ubuntu is another good choice and exhibits similar characteristics. However, SuSE defaults to the (IMHO) gorgeous KDE desktop, while Ubuntu defaults to the more spartan Gnome desktop. This is just personal preference, but I find the KDE "eye candy" approach MUCH more pleasant.

If you are a Linux vet, I can't recommend Arch Linux enough. It is an i686 optimized distro and it is noticably faster on the same hardware than anything else you will run. It has a great package selection and a very active and friendly community.

A caveat though - Arch unapologetically positions itself as being for the intermediate to advanced Linux user. If you are not comfortable working with configuration files by hand, don't go there! There are not a lot of friendly GUI config tools - you have to know how to configure Linux yourself, or be willing to learn. They maintain an EXCELLENT Wiki about configuration of Arch, and I have found it to be the answer to most questions.

If you select Arch, you will learn lots about Linux AND have a distro that runs like greased lightning. My Arch based PIV system is the fastest computer I have ever used, bar none.
 
OP
DistantHoller
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Macbook 2.0 c2d 2gb 80gb SD Mac Mini c2d 1.83
Thanks a lot for your help! I will look into SuSE! I have tried Ubuntu (server edition) but I never got it to fully install (it just stalls). I think I wait just a little bit before I try to install Arch :)

I'm burning the SuSE image to a DVD right now! :)
 

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