Use w500 as file sever

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Heliotropen · #1 Post by **Heliotropen** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 9:58 am

As some of you might remember the hinge of my w500 broke twice over a few years, and I ended up buying a mackbook not that long ago...

Right now I have have two disks in the w500 with allot of important files (etc. resources I use for webdesign) ...

I have already established local network access to the disks in normal windows 8.1 ..

But I have this desk that can be closed off, where I have a docking station ...

Is there any practical suggestions for turning the w500 into a kind of local fine server (without to much trouble)... it kind of is now; but would like to be able to run it with the lid (atleast semi) closed (so the desk can close around it)

I would like to be able to wake it up from the macbook, and also turn it off with the macbook (or make it turn off by it self when it's not used)...

I would also like to connect all my external harddisks to it ...

Any ideas here?
Thoughts?

I hope not to have to use way to much time on it ...

- Helio

FryPpy · #2 Post by **FryPpy** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 4:03 pm

Heliotropen wrote:I would like to be able to wake it up from the macbook, and also turn it off with the macbook (or make it turn off by it self when it's not used)...

I would also like to connect all my external harddisks to it ...

Any ideas here?
Thoughts?

I hope not to have to use way to much time on it ...

Thinkpads have WOL (wake on lan) function (it can be disabled from BIOS). I don't know for MAC but i can power on WOL enabled computers from linux and windows. But i don't tested WOL on thinkpads...

If you have windows on W500 you can tune power manager: Global power settings -> Events -> Lid closed -> No action.

I belive that there are programms to remote control windows (RDP) or linux desktop (ssh + X) from MAC.

You can try completely remove screen and make ThinkKeyboard. I have tested, that W500 can boot OS without any screen. But after that you must take care of remote management of it. Tune OS to understand power button as shutdown request and double check that OS can boot flawlessly without any user interaction.

PS
May be this topic must be moved to W5x0 W70x series forum?

Heliotropen · #3 Post by **Heliotropen** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 4:17 pm

Thnx man,

Just did the lid option (set the graphiccard to the intigrated and set the bios up to generate as little heat as posible) - right now it powers off after 5 hours - but how long would it be safe to leave the thinkpad running like this?

As for 'wake on lan' it's turned on in bios, but the machine is on a wifi right now ... can you power it on that? or do I need to build a router or something into my desk lol :/

I have teamviwer, - but it's not so elegantly ... perhaps it will fly when I finally need to so something ...

I have access to the drive now from the mac ... I just thought if there was something more fancy ... was reading about plex and so on hmm I just happens to have all kind of weird files, from psd, code libaries(php files etc), indesign, to ebooks, video tutorials and so on.

Guess I need to do some house cleaning on the disks, and try to organise it manually in folders or something ...
(I just don't want to drown the mac with to much now I only have 500 gb ... so thought streaming would be nice)...

I already have an old playonHD for movies, so it's mostly other things (read: there is many movies but it's tutorials, lydia and so on)...

- Helio

#4 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:02 pm

For WOL you should use an ethernet cable between router and W500.
And then any PC on that router's network can wake-up the W500.
Use e.g. this program: https://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/

Heliotropen · #5 Post by **Heliotropen** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:45 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:For WOL you should use an ethernet cable between router and W500.
And then any PC on that router's network can wake-up the W500.
Use e.g. this program: https://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/

My router is in the opposite site of the apartment than the desk

- Helio

FryPpy · #6 Post by **FryPpy** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 1:25 pm

Heliotropen wrote: Just did the lid option (set the graphiccard to the intigrated and set the bios up to generate as little heat as posible) - right now it powers off after 5 hours - but how long would it be safe to leave the thinkpad running like this?

5 hours on battery?????? It is cool - server with 5 hour UPS;)
I know some examples where old guys - T60s are working as servers - for months or years.
Go to the this forum - where forum member make public webserver from T20!!! And it have 74 days uptime.

Heliotropen wrote: My router is in the opposite site of the apartment than the desk

- Helio

You have 2 options:
- Move Thinkpad next to the router and make ThinServer

from it. Think about owerheating (do not place it in durty place or ontop of router). It is right to connect server on the wire. I belive that your router is 1Gbps capable, while Intel 5300 in W500 can maximum make 450Mbps. You can stresstest your server on 1Gbps channel with more online connections.
- Remove lid (screen) completely and use keyboard's power on button to control power states.

And remember - REAL server must have huge uptime;) - so just plug it in and dont stop

PS
You can use Thinkpad as DLNA media server (or something etc) and use media player to simple render picture to the screen - but yours have no network connection

PPS
You can use ultrabay HDD caddy to increase storage space. And of course USB HDDs - but USB 2.0 are relatively slow

Use w500 as file sever

Use w500 as file sever

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