You've got my attention! So, tell me what I can do, and how to do it. I've got the following spare untis sitting in the garage...
1-dual cpu amd 2800/512
1-dual cpu intel 733/256
1-sgl cpu intel 700 PIII/256
1 sgl cpu intel 900 celeron/256
1-sgl cpu amd 400/64 K6 laptop
I don't know if I have enough router capacity, but I do have an old 24 port hub, will that be ok?
I don't have enough monitors and keyboards to go around (even if I did, it would blow my panel LOL), can I install the client and remove the monitor and keyboard to the next box and so on?
Papasmurf
I don't have enough monitors and keyboards to go around (even if I did, it would blow my panel LOL), can I install the client and remove the monitor and keyboard to the next box and so on?
As long as you've got some sort of broadband, you should be fine, as long as you don't start them all at once, and try to get six or seven simultaneous downloads of the WU files... The hub is fine, probably 10mps, but since your broadband is only 1-3mps, it's more than adequate to hang the units off of. Most older units aren't real cooperative without a keyboard and mouse attached, (if you're using PS/2 devices) but once a unit is booted, and running, you can snatch the monitor, and use it elsewhere. If they've got USB ports however, and a cheap set of USB peripherals, you can snatch them out, after bootup and startup... and they won't moan and complain, unless they reboot.
For the dual CPUs--follow Klutz Dohanger's excellent instructions in #111. The default FAH instructions didn't work for me (probably a "feature upgrade" they neglected to document). The single CPUs don't need anything special.
Sure, you can get by with the kind of setup you suggest if you're confident in your boxes' stability. Unless you have dial-up, I'm sure that your router can handle several computers. There might not be enough Ethernet ports for all 5 computers, in which case you'd attach an ethernet hub to your router with a crossover cable.
Personally I rarely use my keyboard/monitor with my Xeon box. I use TightVNC and a wicked wireless intranet setup to interface with my Xeon box's desktop directly from my laptop. If you run WinXP on all 5 boxes, you'd be able to use the built-in Remote Desktop to accomplish the same thing with a lot less hassle.
(Disregard this post if you're not a Windows user...)