[BlueOnyx:17185] Re: Installing BlueOnyx on a Qube 3 can be possible?

[Michael Stauber]

Hi Heather,

> It seems after some web research that Installing BlueOnyx on a Qube 3 
> can be possible

The original Qube and RaQ hardware aren't PC's or servers in the
traditional sense, as they lack the BIOS and boot mechanism that a PC or
server usually has.

Hence booting *anything* on them requires a lot of special tweaks. Those
tweaks were initially created with much, much older (and smaller)
kernels in mind. The latest kernel that worked fine (on the RaQ550, but
not the RaQ4 or Qube3) was the 2.4 kernel.

Some people managed to "hack" the EEprom software on the Cobalts to
shoe-horn a mechanism into them that allows to boot a 2.6 kernel. But
even then: That kernel is totally outside of the update procedure and
your box will remain stuck on a 3-4 year old kernel without patches,
support or updates. That alone should be a dead serious show stopper.

The newest Qube 3 hardware you'll find out there will celebrate it's
12th or 13th birthday soon. Some that you might find somewhere on Ebay
or elsewhere might even be old enough to drink or drive - not
necessarily at the same time, though.

It doesn't make any sense to still use such antiquated hardware - even
for hobby purposes. Let alone to connect it to the internet and run it
with cobbled together and outdated kernels which lack years of security
updates.

Just a few examples:

http://www.cubitek.com/products/mini-series/mini-cube
http://imgur.com/a/Tqk9x#dby3mWB

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Mini-ITX-Case_106207901.html

http://www.itxcomputercase.com/quality-1798554-silent_mini_itx_pc_case.html

Just to give you some ideas. You can easily and cheaply build a silent
and small PC with a modern case and modern components that allows you to
install and run any OS that you'd like. May that be BlueOnyx or whatever
else.

These mini-itx boards usually come pretty complete (last time I looked),
so all you need to do is to plug in the RAM and the disk and then throw
it into the case and plug in the cables for the power supply.

And some of these mini-itx cases (especially the last one in red!) are
really neat looking. Throwing $200 US (or thereabouts) at it will get
you a long way and you get a hassle free, modern and neat looking Qube
replacement.

-- 
With best regards

Michael Stauber