Re: Rpi considerations

On 08/06/2024 22:22, Knute Johnson wrote:

On 6/8/24 13:52, Daniel wrote:

Hey guys
>
In an effort to simplify the computing setup in my den - historically
the hottest room in the house - the current consideration is in the
deployment of a few rpis. Never used them before and this would be a new
venture.
>
My current home-computing habits are 90% on the linux CLI. My perosnal
laptop runs a debian install without a windowing system, which suits
me.
>
My desktop workhorse, in the den, is a very old first gen Intel I3 with
8gb or ram. When I obtained it, the device was being resold at a mom&pop
computer shop after it was purchased from a government auction. It had
been retired after a PC refresh. The thing is showing its age. Initially
it was running kubuntu, then I transitioned it to Xubuntu. This extended
its life a few years. But now the machine is showing signs of
instability. It's connected on a KVM and I switch to my work laptop
since I"m a permanent remote employee.
>
Current xwindows use cases: libreoffice, qt designer, light browser (no
streaming), light printing.
>
What I'm considering:
>
A headless Rpi4 as a VM server and setup a VM with the latetest Kubuntu
LTS. Connect my external HDD and flash drives via a 16 port USB hub to
access all my files - which I currently do with my workstation.
>
My desktop PC would be replaced by a Rpi4 running Debian CLI (like my
roaming laptop). I considered the Pi400 but I would need a second
keyboard for my work laptop when I kvm over, not a deal breaker but
inconvenient. Too bad, because the 400 is quite compelling for my uses.
>
In your collective experience, would this provide sufficient stability
to run a VM server with my light use case? Or woauld XFCE make more
sense? I'd consider the Rpi5 if it were fanless, but people on IRC
insist that it takes a major performance hit without active cooling.
>
Thanks,
>
Daniel

 I've got a Pi5 8GB with a Pimoroni NVME Base, a 250GB NVME SSD and a RaspberryPi Active Cooler.  RPi has a M.2 HAT now that would work fine too but I don't know if the Active Cooler will work with it.  The active cooler is almost silent

It's not so much "almost silent", as totally silent. It is quite noisy when it spins up, it just that, under Pi OS, it doesn't spin up unless under extreme load.

and unless I do something really CPU intensive it never speeds up to a speed where I can hear it (that could partially be because of 40 years of jet engines too :-)
 

Look at it, the reason the fan looks stationary, is because it is stationary. It's not a strobe effect. Stick something in it, if you don't believe me.

It is running RPi OS bookworm.  It is a light weight GUI similar to XFCE that I have on my desktop.  It's really pretty snappy, much better than a Pi4.  You can run Wayland or X11 if it matters to you.
 Not sure why you would want a VM without multiple OSs installed?

Me neither, but to each their own.

In any case if I want a full screen command line it is just <CTRL><ALT>F1 and the screen switches.  You can set it up to boot into the command line if you want and then start the windowing system if you need it.
 The Pi5 is almost to the point of really being a desktop replacement. Maybe when the Pi6 comes out.
>

I think the rPi5 is a desktop replacement. Not a great standalone development work horse PC, but a simple desktop. Especially as the rPi5 has Remmina Remote Desktop client (RDP), which allows me to work on a powerful Windows PC.