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Fast-Booting OS for Usually-Off Appliance PCs?

Posted by timothy on from the zero-to-sixty-in-zilch-dot-two dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I have some older computer equipment at work that I want to re-purpose as application appliances. The machines will sit, unpowered, until needed, then powered up. No way around the 'sitting powered off' — company directive. What is the quickest-booting OS I could use for them? I know about LinuxBIOS, but that would require new hardware, which does not go along which the re-purposing theme. Some of them do not need to be connected to a network, so an old version of Linux or Windows 98 are possible. DOS is too old to consider. So what are my options?"

3 of 523 comments (clear)

  1. New mobo == new PC with old case and drives by tepples · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Splashtop requires a new motherboard. Motherboards aren't always expensive.

    But doesn't a new motherboard for a years-old PC typically have new, incompatible CPU and RAM sockets, which require a new CPU and new RAM? At that point, you're practically building a new PC with an old case and drives.

  2. Re:Splashtop by negRo_slim · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't know, how about the part where it's a stupid idea and he should just invest in a PC that isn't more than 10 years old?

    Don't feed the trolls but...

    There are those of us that like old cars, old planes, old trains, old things, for whatever reason. I myself enjoy having old rigs, there is nothing like launching Win 3.11 again to bring me straight back to middle school and my first computer. And when that software is running on the hardware of it's era it becomes so much sweeter. Or sometimes I like to overclock the old stuff, much trickier then it is now. Or sometimes I need a fan, or a case to mod as a rough draft... Yeah when you see something as irrelevant due to it's age and no other criteria you're really limiting yourself to that everything is disposable Wal-Mart style economy, and I pity you.

    --
    On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
  3. Re:BeOS by MattPat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Trying to sell your product is offering it at a discount to prospective OEMs, or providing them a bonus for "recommending" it.

    Unfair business practice is refusing to sell them copies of Windows unless they made it their exclusive OS option.