Linux Server on an Old Laptop... With really smol SSD?

[TukangUsapEmenq]

Welp, got an old laptop (which surprisingly is still alive), specs as below:

 

Acer Aspire 4253

AMD E-350 1.6 GHz 2C/2T

3 GB DDR3 RAM

 

Which, I want to install Linux server on it and perhaps install CasaOS for my little home lab. Yes, I do well aware if it's a really mediocre thing to use as a server, but I figured I just simply wanna do tinkering a little bit with HomeAssistant and else. Heck, it did some purpose as a media file server for movies back then.

 

The only concern is the capacity of boot SSD that I would want to pick. I stumbled upon a few secondhand SSDs like capacities of 16 GB and 32 GB for cheap. Welp, I could get the new 120GB one and call it a day, but somehow it would be some wasted space (and wasted money lol) that won't be utilized by that much...

 

The question is... Will a Ubuntu server (or other Linux-based server) with CasaOS and few docker containers that I would use (yet Idk still what) fit with at-least 16/32 GB of storage?

[Needfuldoer]

2 minutes ago, TukangUsapEmenq said:

The question is... Will a Ubuntu server (or other Linux-based server) with CasaOS and few docker containers that I would use (yet Idk still what) fit with at-least 16/32 GB of storage?

"Use a small boot SSD" is valid practice for hypervisors and NAS OSes because they don't use their boot drive as part of the storage pool.

 

If you're running things off a general-purpose Linux server installation, and it's going to be the only storage in the machine, I'd recommend using a large drive instead.

[Sjaakie]

I would get at least a 120 GB ssd for quality of life. They're pretty cheap right now.

 

Unless you really know for a fact you will never need more than 32 indeed as said by @Needfuldoer

 

Homeassistent logs a lot of stuff / backups may get quite big so even that would be a reason to get a bigger drive.

 

Docker images can also take quite some space when updating regularly, not purging dangling images continuously.

[thevictor390]

Most Linux distributions themselves will fit on those drives just fine. The issues come when you try to install things. You say the 16 and 32 GB SSDs are cheap but really they're not worth any money at all. I would only use them if they are free. 

[RollyShed]

Where can you get a 16GB SSDs? A small one here would be 120GB and the smallest I'd buy would be 250GB, probably about $15US.

Acer Aspire, that one is quite low specs but it should run OK. About the bottom end of those I've installed a complete system on.

[Needfuldoer]

22 minutes ago, RollyShed said:

Where can you get a 16GB SSDs?

Modern SSDs that small are usually Intel Optane M.2 drives designed for use as a gigantic drive cache. They've got nearly enterprise-grade write endurance and cost basically nothing, so they're great "set it and forget it" boot drives in home servers.

[RollyShed]

58 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Modern SSDs that small are usually Intel Optane M.2 drives designed for use as a gigantic drive cache. They've got nearly enterprise-grade write endurance and cost basically nothing, so they're great "set it and forget it" boot drives in home servers.

Except a laptop as old as the OP has doesn't have an M.2 socket.

[Needfuldoer]

26 minutes ago, RollyShed said:

Except a laptop as old as the OP has doesn't have an M.2 socket.

And like I said earlier, if the laptop just has a SATA bay and it's not running a NAS OS, it's better to use a large traditional SSD instead. 

 

I haven't seen new 16 gig SATA (or ATA) SSDs in ages.

[RollyShed]

9 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

And like I said earlier, if the laptop just has a SATA bay and it's not running a NAS OS, it's better to use a large traditional SSD instead.

It does have a SATA bay. It is one of those with near a dozen screws to get the bottom off. Then the hard disk is easily accessible. If the OP is going to do it simply look at a YouTube of how to get the bottom off or simply unscrew all the screws and prise the bottom off. The case looks to be the same as a few other Acers I've fitted SSDs to.

 

The main thing is to replace the hard disk with an SSD for speed.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

7 hours ago, RollyShed said:

It does have a SATA bay. It is one of those with near a dozen screws to get the bottom off. Then the hard disk is easily accessible. If the OP is going to do it simply look at a YouTube of how to get the bottom off or simply unscrew all the screws and prise the bottom off. The case looks to be the same as a few other Acers I've fitted SSDs to.

 

The main thing is to replace the hard disk with an SSD for speed.

Technically, it does have two SATA bays, if I repurpose the DVD drive bay with caddy and put the storage on it.

 

Wouldn't bother to use the DVD bay though as I don't plan to use it as a NAS.

 

7 hours ago, Needfuldoer said:

And like I said earlier, if the laptop just has a SATA bay and it's not running a NAS OS, it's better to use a large traditional SSD instead. 

 

I haven't seen new 16 gig SATA (or ATA) SSDs in ages.

 

8 hours ago, Needfuldoer said:

Modern SSDs that small are usually Intel Optane M.2 drives designed for use as a gigantic drive cache. They've got nearly enterprise-grade write endurance and cost basically nothing, so they're great "set it and forget it" boot drives in home servers.

 

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

Where can you get a 16GB SSDs? A small one here would be 120GB and the smallest I'd buy would be 250GB, probably about $15US.

Acer Aspire, that one is quite low specs but it should run OK. About the bottom end of those I've installed a complete system on.

Funnily I actually found secondhand ones on some local market place website on my country. I bet these are something that came from old servers that companies scrap.

 

https://tokopedia.link/f9jlHcwdfBb

 

Yes. I know it doesn't really worth to take, that's why I asked here first if 16/32GB drive for a server could work/not. 

 

Heck, I even found 16 GB Optane drives for like $1.5. Yet, unfortunately the laptop doesn't support NVME yet.