We know that old Dell is still sitting your basement. You don't have to hide; it's fine, we're here for you. We've got a solution that can turn your old, slightly archaic (or just plain annoying) Windows PC into a Linux box. It'll give the computer a new lease on life with an operating system that can be turned into a Mac compatible server. Whether you're a gamer or a media hoarder, you should definitely repurpose that old PC and turn it into something useful -- something your Mac can utilize. But before we delve into the specifics of making a nifty server machine, let's start with getting Linux onto your old PC.

What You'll Need

>> A copy of Ubuntu on a blank CD
>> An old PC with the minimum: a 1GHz x86 processor, 1GB of RAM, 15GB of hard drive space available, and a graphics card with 1024 x 768 resolution capabilities
>> A keyboard and mouse that connect via USB
 

Note:  For the mouse and keyboard, make sure that it does not connect via the PS/2 (the circular-looking) port at the back of the PC because Linux doesn't have the necessary drivers to recognize this. Only use a USB-connected mouse and keyboard for this how-to.

1. Pick Your Poison -- Er, Copy of Ubuntu

We like Ubuntu because it's easy to install, even easier to use and it's one of the most stable Linux distros available on the web today. Additionally, Ubuntu has three different versions of its operating system that caters to the machine you're working with. If you're resurrecting a dusty old desktop PC, download the desktop version. Depending on the specifications, you can use Ubuntu Desktop with a laptop, too. And if you're just looking for an excuse to get another kick out of that netbook you once purchased out of desperation, Ubuntu has a version for you, too (though there's no consolation for wasting your hard earned money).

Note: Before you start this project, also keep in mind that we'll be erasing the hard drive on your machine. So, grab whatever files you wish to keep and transfer them to an external drive for safekeeping.

2. Burn the ISO to a Disk

Once you've downloaded the distro, you can either burn the ISO file to a CD or drop it on a USB stick. It is suggested that the desktop version of the OS, however, be installed off of a CD. For this particular how-to, we will stick to installing Ubuntu off of a CD.

To burn it to a CD, launch Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, and then insert your blank disk.

Drag and drop the Ubuntu .iso file over into the left pane, select it and click "Burn" in the tool bar. Make sure that "verify burned data" is checked and then click Burn again.

3. Configure BIOS to Boot From a CD-ROM

Assuming your Mac has spit out a fresh install CD with Ubuntu on it, turn on that PC. It should start up in BIOS first (the black screen with white lettering), giving you the option to hit a key to get to the main BIOS menu.

At the bottom of the screen, it says to press the DELETE key to start up BIOS. Your motherboard might use different keys, however.

Watch carefully as it starts up, because sometimes this screen is only available for a few seconds. If you miss it, turn it off and try again.  The screen may ask you to hit F10 or Esc to set up start up, but it could be different on your PC depending on the motherboard located inside. Either way, find that button and hit it when the BIOS screen asks for it. Remember that you can only navigate using your arrow keys.

Navigate to Advanced BIOS Features...

Then select the First Boot Device option...

Navigate to "CDROM", then press Enter to accept.


 

Save your settings and then Exit by hitting "Y" and pressing Enter. Your system will restart.

4. Pop in the CD-ROM and Install Linux

Restart the computer. As it's doing so, quickly open up the CD-ROM drive and drop in the Ubuntu cd. Eventually, and if you did everything correctly, BIOS will get through to Ubuntu and begin the install.

You should see this in BIOS if you did Step 3 correctly.

As it loads, it may take a few minutes for the OS setup to boot from the CD. Make sure that you have both a keyboard and mouse hooked up to the back of the PC and that it's connected to the internet via an Ethernet cable (some PCs will show you network activity with a flickering LED light located on the port). Eventually you should see this screen:

Make sure that "Download updates while installing" is selected, though you'll need an active internet connection for this to be possible.

Specify that you want to erase and use the entire disk for Ubuntu, rather than creating a Partition or using it alongside Windows or whatever else you had installed on the hard drive).

Once you've initiated the setup process, it should take a short while for it to complete, depending on your disk drive's speed. Eventually, Ubuntu will ask you if you want to make a username and add on a password, and while this is optional we recommend you doing so.

5. You Are Now a Linux User

Make no mistake -- this is you crossing the threshold. It is now time for you to revel in its wonderful simplicity. Actually, it's now time to figure out what you might want to do with your new Linux machine. We'll have another how-to for you next week about turning your newly refreshed Linux machine into an iTunes home server. Stay tuned, cool Linux cats (or, should we start referring to the lot of you as penguins?).