using a network of computers to run seti

[LuKE]

I'm thinking of scrapping the idea of using a network of complete computer(ie hard drive,cdrom,keyboard....) in favor of using something else. I've been reading about something called Etherboot but i'm kinda weary cause i'm linux stupid. does neone have expeince in this area that could offer some advice?

[SpeeDj]

How bout this article ? Maybe it may help

http://www.nilo.org/remoteboot/Remote-Boot.html

[TC]

Are you saying you want to use stripped down boxes without the need for a keyboard, mouse, and monitor connected to each one? If so you could use VNC to control them over ethernet. Otherwise I'm not sure what you mean...

[Sir-Epix]

Originally posted by TC
Are you saying you want to use stripped down boxes without the need for a keyboard, mouse, and monitor connected to each one? If so you could use VNC to control them over ethernet. Otherwise I'm not sure what you mean...

I think he means he doesn't want to have a Hard Drive, CD-ROM, and a floppy. Just mainboard, cpu, video card, and ram. He wants to boot off of a main machine, to abtain windows, and such not. I got it right LuKE right? I think windows can do this, but I know jack about Linux.

[SpeeDj]

I believe windows does this using terminal services in win2k server and up. But linux does have some free utilities in which to do this, but if your goal is that couldn't you do something via a beowulf cluster or does each box require a HD for that ?

J

[lonewolf1983]

im pretty sure a HD is nessercary
running an OS such as windows off a network would strangle bandwidth pretty badly
but im not sure

[Thelemac]

Nah...you can do that, no problem.

You'll need a floppy, though, cause you're gonna be booting off of a floppy disc. That's what loads the network card and tells the computer where to look for an OS. :)

Now you just have to figure out where to get information on how to do it. I would think that www.linuxdocs.org would be a good place to start. Might do a bried search on networking, cause this type of setup is one of the three major types.

[zouo]

You can boot Linux directly off the network without and form of fixed disk. You used to need a ROM programmer for the NIC to do this but perhaps technology has moved on.

[LuKE]

maybe i should clarify a bit. I want nothing but a psu,motherboard,cpu,mem,nic and a cables for that. I've been reading about doing this with a bootdisk that has the kernal, nic drivers, and files telling the computer where to get the rest (ie a central server). bandwidth isn't a problem since i'm using 10/100 cards and these machines won't be rebooting often. i've thought this a bit and my brain is starting to hurt. heh so guys just spit out some ideas so i could maybe grasp one of them. thanks for your time.

[Eliminator]

Originally posted by SpeeDj
How bout this article ? Maybe it may help

http://www.nilo.org/remoteboot/Remote-Boot.html

Can you do this using Win2k?

I would like to know because I have a spare comp doing nothing.

Thanks

[SpeeDj]

According to that page you should have no problems, I would do a search on google to see if you can find a newer site with info on how to do it.

Just my thoughts.

J

[TC]

I was trying to do essentially the same thing and I never have been able to get a computer to boot without a video card installed. First I tried windows, then I tried redhat, but neither would get past post. The rest should be fairly easy. That's a common practice in offices.

[Eliminator]

All I want to do is network my spare computer that has Win2k and not have to use another monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

As you can see, I'm a total n00b when it comes to networking.

[Mictlan]

Using a switch you can boot a PC without monitor, keyboard or mouse (well the two boxes are connected to the same switch).....

Over the network I don't know, but I have started PC that have a vid card, HD and floppy installed.....as long as they are connected to a switch that has a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

[TC]

Originally posted by Eliminator
All I want to do is network my spare computer that has Win2k and not have to use another monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

As you can see, I'm a total n00b when it comes to networking. What you need is VNC to control that computer over the network from another machine that is connected to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. You simply setup the client on the machine you want to remotely control, and add the VNC executable to the startup menu so it will run automatically when the pc boots. Then you can pull the keyboard, mouse, and video, leaving only the network connection. You will probably need to tell the bios to ignore keyboard error since it will not have one plugged in. Then you can boot the machine and control it over the network from another machine with VNC viewer. Works like a charm - brings up the remote machine just like you were right in front of it, except the keyboard, mouse, and video signals are being sent over the network.

[Eliminator]

Thanks TC

I'll go search for it and try it out :)

[LuKE]

I got a solution for users wanting to use linux on their spare computers. There is a program called Webmin
( http://www.webmin.com/wemin ) that let's users control their *nix machine from a remote location. This by is the best i've seen. Linuxjournal just did a fine review of the product. Now granted *nix is for the faint of heart cause i'm just running the command line version of linux, no xwindows. But with webmin i can do more without learning a whole lot of commands. If you need some help setting it up on your *nix machine please just either pm me or email me and i'll be glad to help. btw, using webmin i've gotten samba running so i can monitor my linux clients using setiwatch. If it wasn't for seti i would not be using these machines to learn more about computers using linux. Thanks guys.