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). On 7 January 2016 I sent an inquiry email to hi@gtalug.org and Myles Braithwaite responded instantly with helpfull suggestions for which I was very grateful. Myles also encouraged to join the talk@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 ? It seems to me that there are three approaches I could take, to get this new PC built: 1. BUILD IT MYSELF. I can handle purchasing all the components. However, although I am comfortable messing around inside the case of a computer, I've never build one from components. I would prefer to have the PC assembled by more experienced hands that have the skills and use of the right tools. So building myself is a last resort. 2. USE A COMMERCIAL PC SYSTEM BUILDER. Any suggestions from mailing list participants, on commercial PC builders would be gratefully received. However, I do not want to have to deal with import hassles, so the builder must be operating in Canada.(preferably in the GTA) Problem: It seems it will be difficult to interest commercial PC bulders in Canada to supply a competitively-priced PC configured with Linux. So if I use a commercial builder, the plan would be to get the PC built and delivered with with Windows 7 only installed, but have a multi-boot setup. After I get the PC I will install Debian 8 Linux as the primary host operating system, and then install Win 7 to run under QEMU / KVM virtualization under Debian. 3. *** CREATIVE IDEA FOR GTALUG *** Perhaps there is a member (or members) of GTALUG who would be able to build the PC from comnponents I supply. Naturally I would be happy to pay a fee for this service Or (and this would be my preference) perhaps GTALUG would be interested in taking on the buuild project as a club project. I expect I would be much more happy to pay money to GTALUG for helping with the build, and to get the pleasure of working with GTALUG, than I would be paying and dealing with a commercial builder. Since I live in Oakville in a small apartment, it would make more sense for the build to happen in Toronto.
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).
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. * * * * * * 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; ----------------- 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; 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; 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; 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; ----------------- ----------------- 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. * * * * * * Many thanks to list members for taking the time to consider my email. Comments, questions welcome: 1. On the proposed PC configuration, 2. On the idea of GTALUG helping with the build project. Best Regards, Steve * * * Steve Petrie, P.Eng. ITS-ETO Consortium Oakville, Ontario, Canada (905) 847-3253 apetrie@aspetrie.net