Logo

HP t5740: Linux 

Linux

My test was with Tiny Core 5.2 which was installed on an 8GB pen drive - and I've since used v7.2 and 12.1.

As you would expect with HP thin clients with a PC compatible architecture and standard BIOS there should be no problem running various flavours of Linux on the t5740. (NB See below re PAE kernels).

This was borne out by an email I received from Shantonu in July 2017. He'd tried out the i386 versions of:

  1. Debian latest
  2. ubuntu LTS 10,12,14,16 both desktop & server
  3. Ubuntu 17 server (what he's currently running)
  4. centOS 6
  5. puppy 6

He did note that, except for centOS, the display resolution selected automatically was not the best one for his monitor so "...might need to edit /etc/default/grub config to specify the display resolution."

Using more than 4GB of RAM - no way

The t5740 lets you install up to 8GB of RAM. The Atom N280 is a 32-bit processor and so can only directly address 4GB of RAM. However it does support Physical Address Extension (PAE) and so, with a suitable OS, should be able to use any additional memory installed.

Whilst the BIOS and programs such as dmidecode correctly report the amount and type of RAM fitted, as far as I'm aware there is no Linux or Microsoft OS that will access memory past the 4GB limit.

All I can suggest is that the Intel Atom N280/GL40 combination has some quirk that defeats the standard PAE code and you are stuck with the 4GB limit irrespective of how much RAM is actually present.

False Dawn

Back in September 2018 I passed on a report that Windows Server 2003 let you access memory past the 4GB limit. In July 2019 I added a further contribution from somebody else who apparently had success with Windows Server 2008 Datacenter edition. (That was the last 32-bit release of Windows Server).

In May 2022, prompted by an email from Greg in NZ, I decided (rather belatedly) to check this out and dug out my t5740, installed 8GB of RAM and then installed Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition.

Right clicking on My Computer/This PC and clicking on Properties produced:

t5740 System Properties

Looking good - the OS has found all the installed RAM! However, fire up Task Manager and look at the Physical Memory panel you find:

HP t5740 memory available

The earlier report was misleading. It may have found 8GB, but it is not using all of it.

To cross-check I installed the same 32-bit software on a t630. On that Task Manager reported the expected 7GB+ of physical memory.

I guess my earlier correspondents were misled by the lie in the System Properties.

 


Any comments? email me. Added February 2015    Last update May 2022