Good Morning from my Robotics Lab! This is Shadow_8472 with a snapshot of my different computers as of mid-March, 2023. Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have felt a need for a page detailing my so-called \u201chomelab\u201d detailing the computers and other equipment I personally maintain. I didn\u2019t finish any big projects this week, so here\u2019s a first draft of that page. It\u2019s listed in roughly the order I took ownership\/responsibility for each piece. I\u2019ve tried to gather each computer\u2019s base model\/modified configuration plus a list of its presently bootable operating systems. Warning: unexplained technobabble ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dell Inspiron N7110
1 TB SSD<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Debian 11<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the oldest operational computer in my fleet, this laptop has been with me for almost 12 years, though most every part was replaced while it was under extended warranty. Shortly after I started this blog, I installed Debian 10 on a USB external drive. I nuked its Windows drive one week by formatting the wrong disk, and later replaced it with a 1 TB SSD, cloned Debian inside, and it served as a get-me-online machine until the screen bezel cracked, threatening to shatter the screen the next time I\u2019m not careful. It\u2019s now serving as a backup home server, and it\u2019s desktop environment has proven vital to rebounding from at least one network emergency since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Custom Build<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Intel Core i7-3770K (3.50GHz)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (rev a1)
24 GB RAM (2×8+2×4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Windows 10
Manjaro
EndeavourOS (WIP)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUpstairs Workstation\u201d also predates when I started naming my computers. I got it for university when laptop turned up as bit underpowered. I went from Windows 7 to Windows 10 with this machine, narrowly avoiding an online tech support scam (10 didn\u2019t support a Wi-Fi cart I was using at the time and later finished burning out when I put it back in after switching to Linux).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Custom Build
Intel Core i7-2600K (3.40GHz)
16 GB RAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PopOS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Derpy was named for its tendency to give power kernel errors during its first service life until its retirement. When I adopted it, I gave it a new hard drive and inadverantly diagnosed the one lowballed part: its 2 TB HDD. I\u2019ve also had issues with a stick of RAM from it, but I\u2019ve had it running smoothly for a few years now as a secondary workstation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dell Optiplex 7010
16 GB RAM
1×60 GB SSD
1×1 TB SSD (external)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Debian 11
Rocky 8<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ButtonMash has been my main x86 experiment machine as well as my home server. I bought it from a church member who was upgrading his dental office computers. I My was host to my first Linux install: Ubuntu, but I\u2019ve put it through a parade of distros including MicroCore (where I learned the command line), MineOS, Debian (originally from \u201cred laptop\u201d), and finally Rocky. Today, it serves as my primary home server, where I am setting up several Podman containers including Vaultwarden, PiHole, Nextcloud, and Minetest \u2013 each on a separate account for further isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If and when we need to scan pictures, ButtonMash is dual booted with an external SSD I originally used with my Red Laptop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Synology NAS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4x7TB HDD RAID 5 share
1 TB SSD share (external)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GoldenOakLibry is our home NAS intended for picture scanning. If nothing else, it\u2019s exposed me to using a computer that\u2019s meant to do nothing but serve files. I have a long way to go before I master it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1xRpi3B+
2xRpi4B
1xRpi400<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My collection of super-flexible Raspberry Pi computers has served me well. At the moment, the Pi 4\u2019s are serving as OpenWRT router firmware configured as Wi-Fi-to-Ethernet adapters for my upstairs workstation and my sister\u2019s desktop. My Pi 3B+ has been inactive since its 3D printed PacMan ghost case got smashed, and my Pi 400 shares a monitor at my upstairs workstation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maker Select Plus
Added braces+feet<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am no master at 3D printing, but I know enough of the basics to scrape together most everything I try. At present, my printer needs a new fan and a printbed that isn\u2019t warped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UBPorts Edition<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The average smartphone these days spies on you. Its parent company is allowed to by the terms of service you need to accept before use. I resolved to not blindly accept any new EULA\u2019s without knowing what I\u2019m getting into and learning enough to be confident I\u2019ve done something to mitigate the worst of these violations of privacy. As a consequence, I don\u2019t have a usable phone ever since we switched providers a while back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UPS\u2019s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have three uninterruptible power supplies directly under my supervision \u2013 one serving the network closet, one serving my upstairs workstation, and the other ButtonMash\u2019s area. As of yet, I have not figured out the open source NUT driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dell Optiplex 7020
15 GB RAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Linux Mint 20.3
Debian 11<\/p>\n\n\n\n
15 GB RAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After I bought ButtonMash, I got another used workstation out of the same dental office, replaced Windows, and gave it both sets of RAM. I later talked my father through installing Debian 11 on ButtonMash\u2019s original hard disk<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not technically a computer, but easily one of my most versatile tools. Ventoy makes Linux media creation as simple as dragging and dropping a .ISO. Even better is that I can still put normal files on it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each part of my lab serves its function. There\u2019s a certain joy when I get something new working and get to show it off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which of your projects are you most proud of?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Good Morning from my Robotics Lab! This is Shadow_8472 with a snapshot of my different computers as of mid-March, 2023. Let\u2019s get started! I have felt a need for a page detailing my so-called \u201chomelab\u201d detailing the computers and other equipment I personally maintain. I didn\u2019t finish any big projects this week, so here\u2019s a … <\/p>\n