Hey everyone! I've got a pretty old PC from around 2008 that I need to set up as a server for my public job. I can't get my hands on anything newer, so I want to make the best of what I have. The server will need to run 24/7 and handle a few tasks: 1) A local website for calling patients, with a second site for displaying info on the TV. 2) Another local site to manage items and allow requests. 3) Possibly a file server in the future for sharing files with daily backups (though that's more of a distant goal). The first two projects will be lightweight python applications. The specs are a Phenom II 550 processor with 4GB of RAM and an HDD, and while it can run Windows 10, I'm hoping to go with a Linux distro. Any recommendations for a beginner-friendly distro? Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
Also, keep in mind that using old hardware can be limiting in terms of power consumption. If a low-end modern machine would save you money on electricity, it might be worth considering that as well!
Just a heads up, your old PC may run fine with a modern distro since it has an amd64 CPU. Debian Stable is solid for the 24/7 server you want, plus it has automatic updates which can keep things easy for you.
Linux Debian Stable with a lightweight desktop like Xfce or LXQt could work really well for you. It’s stable and you won’t have to worry too much about frequent changes. Plus, it can run without a graphical interface if you’re just using it as a server.
Arch Linux could be another option, but it might not be the simplest for beginners.
You might want to consider using Ubuntu Server. It's pretty user-friendly and a lot of people in the community can help if you run into issues.
Yeah, servers really don’t need a GUI unless you’re doing something specific, so it could save you resources.