Free ThinCient OS Software

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

I am looking at options for a ThinClient OS. I have looked at ThinStation and Windows Thin PC. I was wondering what elese is out there please? I would like something that is free if possible.

 

We are using Windows RDS not Citrix. I would also like something that doesn't use PXE boot.

 

Thanks

Edited December 2, 2011 by FN-GM
PXE info added

[CyberNerd]

I've been looking at kvm and am keen to see a spice client embedded into a thin client. I know redhat have a PXE bootable thin client OS. Thinstation is good because it's all in one and doesn't rely on NFS partitions. It is lacking on drivers and it can be difficult to integrate apps into it without detailed knowledge. If all else fails, I don't think that it would be all that epic to build a Thin Client OS based on the distribution of your choice, boot it via PXE and use NFS. Take a look at how LTSP boots, mounts a partition. You don't need to run in LTSP mode, over 10yrs ago a friend had a lab of PC's booting linux running from NFS - ie diskless 'fat' clients using a san as a filesystem.

[dhicks]

I am looking at options for a ThinClient OS.

 

I've found Slax and SystemRescueCD to both be pretty good in the past - they both include rdesktop and you can customise boot operations so they load straight in to a remote session. They include more drivers for more hardware than Thinstation seems to, and can be installed on local media - both are easily small enough to fit on solid state memory of some kind.

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

Not looked at this in a while just looking at it again. Does anyone else have any input please? I am open for solutions that use PXE.

 

Thanks

[Chris_]

I came across this last week: AnywhereTS - the free soft thin client creator

 

It seems to allow you to boot the thin client image over the network via PXE, boot directly from a USB stick, install to the local hard drive from a CD/USB stick and a few other methods.. not managed to get it working yet though. It runs but just hangs and then says it can't get an IP address. Going to give it another shot later.

[FN-GM]

Hi @Chris_ did you manage to get this working please?

[SYNACK]

This: FreeRDP

 

is the modern version of rdesktop that supports features introduced since Windows 2000 and is currently still in development so is almost certainly a better choice as the client to be tacked on top of the light OS session.

 

Edit: looks like it is already integrated via a different frontend into thinstation as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remmina

Edited June 18, 2012 by SYNACK

[FN-GM]

This: FreeRDP

 

is the modern version of rdesktop that supports features introduced since Windows 2000 and is currently still in development so is almost certainly a better choice as the client to be tacked on top of the light OS session.

 

The problem is i am not that good with Linux, so i am not sure i would make the OS be locked down.

 

Thanks

[glennda]

Not Free but could be of use VDIBlaster £20 per machine but they might do you discount if you going to buy bulk licenses.

[Chris_]

Hi @Chris_ did you manage to get this working please?

 

I seem to recall that I did get it working, however it was a bit fussy about some of the network drivers... can't remember what cards I got it working with and which didn't work.

 

I'd recommend you taking a look at it. It's very simple to set up.

[FN-GM]

What puts me off is they have ended support for it, in a few years it might leave me needing to find something else again.