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maybe a linux thin-os, to boot iMacs into RDP/Rdesktop app?

Hi,

We've set up Win2003 terminal server in application/user mode and are trying to recycle some of our old hardware before buying dedicated thin clients.

We have a dozen iMacs that don't have the juice for OSX full, but would serve as fine thin clients if we could get the software sorted out (ie: 64 meg ram, 400mhz proc, etc)

I'd like to make a bootable CD as a test, but eventually, we could format the mac disks with this data.

I'm looking for as slim an install package as possible that would allow for R-Desktop (et al) to be run to make these pretty iMacs into terminals.

So this would be a cross between knoppix and yellow dog.

questions:

1) have you ever made a boot disk for powerPC machines?
2) which linux thin client software have you had success with connecting to TS 2003?

thanks.

brettmjohnson

I am running OS X 10.3.5 on a 400Mhz G3 iMac DV just fine. It has the "juice",
if you give the machine enough RAM.
The only things I did:

1) upgrade firmware (required to boot OS X)
2) add 512MB RAM (give OS the speed you need)
3) strip unused language resources after installation (to free up diskspace)

hakalugi

ASKER

512mb of ram is $109 each at crucial. osx = $70 each, plus my labor to install , might as well get a thin client for $250, pre built with rdp 5.1.

even using a osxlabs like cloning setup it's not what i'm looking to do.

saving the iMac shell with different software guts is my goal.

i've nothing against os x, i use it in my PB-AL-15, and in several newer i/eMacs at the school, but hopefully not here.

pjedmond

I've never made a live OS bootable disk for a power PC, other than those that you burn from an ISO image...but it appears that Gentoo has:

http://gentoo.osuosl.org/releases/ppc/2004.1/livecd/

and the debian site has a knoppix variant:

http://debian.tu-bs.de/knoppix/powerPC/knx-pcc-2003-07-13_4.iso
(yes it is pcc not ppc!)

Some more interesting beta(ish) ppc versions here:

http://ftp.crihan.fr/mirrors/knoppix-mib.org/

As for Linux thin client software connecting to TS 2003, I've only had experience of:

Citrix ICA client on TS2003

But had no problems with rdesktop on Win 2000 TS

Personally I'm happier with Win 2000TS, because the licencing is simpler, and therefore there is less chance of a problem with the TS setup.

ROUTEPRO

What about redirected ports using Rdesktop with Linux.. anyone have any experience with that?

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pjedmond

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hakalugi

ASKER

didn't have much luck with Rdesktop on 2003, but that was a year ago.

But an older version of YellowDog with a custom install (just X and Rdesktop, eg) may be the way to go.

- will look at sol'ns hopefully soon- ah, PJ's new links may help