[nzlug] Energy saving Linux

[Nick Rout]

A couple of things to watch:

1. that your distro doesn't put the laptop to sleep when the lid is
closed; and

2. that there are no air/cooling vents under the lid (which are blocked by
closing the lid). Its a long time since I have seen a laptop with this
"feature" but it can lead to the magic smoke escaping. The one I am
referring to WAS a 386sx25 with 2M RAM, and yes it did run linux (badly)
at one point.


> But as an added bonus, its also got its on built in UPS (assuming that
> the battery isn't totally knackered).
>
> If you consider that the average laptop charger is 70-90W, thats its
> peak power consumption. My experience is that on average the laptop will
> consume around 70-80% of that when running 100%CPU etc. With the power
> savings above (spin down disk, no screen, etc), it should be less than
> that.
>
> Obviously depends on make and model.
>
> But if you aren't needing the CPU/Harddisk speed, then a laptop may make
> a good server. My only concern would be to increase the system memory to
> make up for the slower / sleeping hard disk.
>
> My only concern on a 2nd hand laptop is make sure the vents aren't
> blocked with dust. Good way to kill a laptop.
>
> Oh, and of course its hard to slap another NIC in the laptop, unless you
> use a USB one.
>
> Nick
>
>
>
>
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>


-- 
Nick Rout