Reuse old Dell Xeon server

Krovikan · December 9, 2019

I have in my possession a Dell T110 server with a Xeon 3400. My intention was to just install Win10 and give it away as a school/office PC to a relative. I have no experience with server grade equipment and failed to really do anything with it... couldnt even install an OS. Given the mobo long boot time and the difficulty with using server hardware as an office PC, ive given up on the idea.

Wanted to ask, is there anything I could use it for (or the processor)? I looked if there were any non-server mobo I could use and couldnt find anything. Maybe I just sell it for cheap on ebay?

Thanks

Jarsky · December 9, 2019

That sounds like a very old server (from 2009 or earlier) so possibly its only 32-bit, you'll need to check that, and for sure the system wont support GPT boot let alone secure boot.

So if you want to try and install Windows 10 you'll need to make it an MBR bootable version.

If it still doesn't work you might need a 32-bit version.

For linux again if its a 32-bit only CPU you might have to go an older build as the popular newer builds are mostly 64-bit only.

Trevor87 · December 9, 2019

It should be good as basic office or school pc. If you relative wants it then I would just ask if he want a small sdd in there and if he has a old windows 7,8,8.1,10 key that way you can use it. Then you can give them a proper copy of windows 10. But if not and it a random person that you giving it to then go with what you said. The server is 64 bit :).

https://www.dell.com/downloads/emea/products/t110_spec_sheet.pdf

Krovikan · December 10, 2019

Ive already tried installing Win10 on a spare SATA HDD... the furthest i got was being able to boot off the CD until I got a jibberish screen (not BSOD or any obvious error, just crap)