3 ms·

Best part about using an old laptop for a home server is the built-in UPS.

by pengaru 4y ago

app4soft 4y ago
Old laptops has its built-in UPS degraded in most cases.
- pengaru 4y ago
  I've never had a UPS not need battery service at some point, and they tend to use lead-acid which is especially fragile when it comes to deep discharges vs. LiIon laptop batteries. I think in any case the battery is a wear item that will need servicing. Just make sure you pick a common laptop with plentiful third-party battery replacement options. Preferably ones that can have the battery swapped while online (not a LiPo pouch buried inside a macbook)
  - sentientslug 4y ago
    Not sure of many modern business class laptops that have hot swappable batteries anymore
    - pengaru 4y ago
      The whole point of this is to put a disused laptop into server duty.
- gymbeaux 4y ago
  But laptop batteries typically last several hours, which most UPSes are meant to last a matter of minutes, so even a 5-year-old laptop battery will likely meet or exceed UPS performance.
totetsu 4y ago
One that will conveniently double as a pillow as the battery slowly balloons.
- pengaru 4y ago
  > One that will conveniently double as a pillow as the battery slowly balloons. The title's "ThinkPad as a Server" For the vast majority of ThinkPad production, the batteries were hot-swappable and constructed from the very same 18650 LiIon cells used in the original Tesla Roadster [0]. We're clearly not talking about swollen non-removable LiPo pouch having macbook-airs or their copycats... that would be a total failure to consider the application context. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster_(first_generation)#Battery_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster_(first_generati...
yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
Maybe your laptops are less old or less degraded than mine, but their batteries tend to the thing I would trust the least about them, especially if they're going to be plugged in and powered on 24/7. I'm fine with using old laptops as servers, but if anything I'd try to see if they can run without batteries because at some point I get paranoid about fire hazards.
- steponlego 4y ago
  New Chinese clone battery for a Thinkpad's usually under $30.
ThrowawayR2 4y ago
That doesn't really work because keeping the batteries at 100% charge wears them out faster and an old laptop won't have modern features to limit the maximum charge.
- fragmede 4y ago
  you're right, but Thinkpad battery controllers have had this ability for decades as an advanced feature.
sipjca 4y ago
Guess you would need a UPS for your internet modem however. Recently had a power outage and while my laptop kept chugging my VoIP connection certainly did not
- pengaru 4y ago
  power it off a USB port on the laptop ;)

Best part about using an old laptop for a home server is the built-in UPS.

app4soft 4y ago

Old laptops has its built-in UPS degraded in most cases.

pengaru 4y ago
I've never had a UPS not need battery service at some point, and they tend to use lead-acid which is especially fragile when it comes to deep discharges vs. LiIon laptop batteries. I think in any case the battery is a wear item that will need servicing. Just make sure you pick a common laptop with plentiful third-party battery replacement options. Preferably ones that can have the battery swapped while online (not a LiPo pouch buried inside a macbook)
- sentientslug 4y ago
  Not sure of many modern business class laptops that have hot swappable batteries anymore
  - pengaru 4y ago
    The whole point of this is to put a disused laptop into server duty.
gymbeaux 4y ago
But laptop batteries typically last several hours, which most UPSes are meant to last a matter of minutes, so even a 5-year-old laptop battery will likely meet or exceed UPS performance.

totetsu 4y ago

One that will conveniently double as a pillow as the battery slowly balloons.

pengaru 4y ago
> One that will conveniently double as a pillow as the battery slowly balloons. The title's "ThinkPad as a Server" For the vast majority of ThinkPad production, the batteries were hot-swappable and constructed from the very same 18650 LiIon cells used in the original Tesla Roadster [0]. We're clearly not talking about swollen non-removable LiPo pouch having macbook-airs or their copycats... that would be a total failure to consider the application context. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster_(first_generation)#Battery_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster_(first_generati...

yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago

Maybe your laptops are less old or less degraded than mine, but their batteries tend to the thing I would trust the least about them, especially if they're going to be plugged in and powered on 24/7. I'm fine with using old laptops as servers, but if anything I'd try to see if they can run without batteries because at some point I get paranoid about fire hazards.

steponlego 4y ago
New Chinese clone battery for a Thinkpad's usually under $30.

ThrowawayR2 4y ago

That doesn't really work because keeping the batteries at 100% charge wears them out faster and an old laptop won't have modern features to limit the maximum charge.

fragmede 4y ago
you're right, but Thinkpad battery controllers have had this ability for decades as an advanced feature.

sipjca 4y ago

Guess you would need a UPS for your internet modem however. Recently had a power outage and while my laptop kept chugging my VoIP connection certainly did not

pengaru 4y ago
power it off a USB port on the laptop ;)