<div>Not to steal thunder (or parts!) from either of you guys, but thought I'd mention that there's a group of us still interested in getting a Twin Cities branch of Free Geek up & running, so that we can do essentially what you're doing (refurbishing old machines, loading free OSes on them, and getting them out to people who couldn't otherwise afford them) -- right now, we're affiliated with Open Circuit, so you can check out their website (
<a href="http://tcopencircuit.org">http://tcopencircuit.org</a>) or e-mail list (<a href="http://lists.tcopencircuit.org/listinfo.cgi/opencircuit-tcopencircuit.org">http://lists.tcopencircuit.org/listinfo.cgi/opencircuit-tcopencircuit.org
</a>)</div>
<div> </div>
<div>As for your problem of imaging identical machines, you might try partimage: <a href="http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=287522">http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=287522</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Or, if you're really adventurous, look up TCLUG's "Ghetto Ghost" thread from way-back-when. ;)</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Cheers,</div>
<div>Brian D.<br> </div>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 11/21/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Pete</b> <<a href="mailto:teeahr1@gmail.com">teeahr1@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">I'll jump in on this thread too, not to steal Bryan's thunder or anything. I am *always* looking for parts in whatever condition; I build Frankenputers and sell or barter them (mostly here in south Mpls) to lower-income folks, usually with Ubuntu on them just because I like to keep them all on a mostly unified platform, but sometimes I go with DSL or straight Debian depending on the condition of the hardware. If you've seen the Guerrilla Tech Support fliers at the bus shelter or the coffee shop, I am he.
<br><br>What I need now:<br>RAM, always, from 64Mb on up. I am always short of memory.<br>Speakers<br>Any video cards I can lay my hands on regardless of how old they are, to take some of the load of these old CPUs<br>MORE RAM
<br>And anything else you got.<br><br>Also and especially, I am always looking for technical assistance. I consider myself an "advanced user," and do this because I think it's a good thing to do and nobody's doing it. Frankly, I'm better with the people than I am with the machines. I'm learning a lot as I go here. (For instance, right now I am trying to come up with an elegant solution for making 10 identical Ubuntu installs for 10 identical Dell business desktops. I don't have a clue, but I'll figure it out eventually, I'm sure.)
<br><br>I never know how to close a letter,<br>Pete<br><br>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 11/20/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Josh Trutwin</b> <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:josh@trutwins.homeip.net" target="_blank">josh@trutwins.homeip.net
</a> > wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">On Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:32:54 -0600<br>"Bryan Zimmer" <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:bryzimmer@gmail.com" target="_blank">
bryzimmer@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br>> I am an old computer geek (48 years old) who has been Linuxing for<br>> many = years. I also use a more widely-used Windowing Operating<br>> system, and = used to run internet servers in a public domain (mail
<br>> server, name = servers, apache, etc) for my own company.<br><br><snip><br><br>Bryan - I have the following:<br><br>(I'm CC'in the whole list in case anyone else is interested if<br>you're not - I'll give you first dibs)
<br><br>3 PII (MAYBE P1 but I'm almost positive they are PII) Compaq (I think)<br>computers - should be fully functional. My wife used them last year<br>in a little computer lab she made at her school, but has since<br>
switched jobs and has no need for em. I also have a couple other<br>PI/PII CPU's gathering dust.<br><br>4 working CRT monitors (all 17 inch I believe) - needs some Endust.<br><br>An old Lexmark printer that my parent's upgraded - should still work
<br>though my son may have pulled apart the paper tray. :)<br><br>An old Visioneer Scanner - should still work but may need a little<br>TLC.<br><br>3 keyboards<br><br>Various other odds and ends - old Cisco 978 router - KVM switch I
<br>never found a use for. I think I even have a 512M stick of some kind<br>of memory.<br><br>I'm looking to get rid of this stuff though, no charge (unless I have<br>to drive a long way, then maybe a couple bucks for gas?) I'd love it
<br>if you (or anyone???) could take the whole lot since I live up by St.<br>Cloud (work in Delano).<br><br>Josh<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:tclug-list@mn-linux.org" target="_blank">tclug-list@mn-linux.org</a><br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list" target="_blank">
http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list</a><br></blockquote></div><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:tclug-list@mn-linux.org">
tclug-list@mn-linux.org</a><br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list" target="_blank">http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list
</a><br><br></blockquote></div><br>