↻KitAgainHARDWARE REVIVAL FIELD GUIDE

An old mini PC at home: automation, storage or media?

Choose one clear job, then check boot mode, storage health and backups. Installing an OS does not add computing power.

Home automation

  • HAOS suits a dedicated x86-64 UEFI host. The official Generic route requires Secure Boot disabled and checks for 512n/512e storage; a 64-bit CPU alone is not enough.
  • Writing the image overwrites the target disk. Connect a real device and practice backup restoration before long-term use.

LAN storage

  • OpenMediaVault needs a plan for the OS disk, data disks and an independent backup. Old-disk health is a separate issue.
  • The README says it needs exclusive control over OS configuration. Do not treat it as an ordinary app to containerize or install alongside a desktop. RAID does not replace backups.

Light services, media or games

  • For DietPi, check available images, architecture and RAM. Not every old board is supported.
  • LibreELEC is a dedicated Kodi OS requiring a matching current image. Verify DRM services separately.
  • Batocera offers external boot options; internal installation still needs backups. Hardware limits performance, and the OS grants no game copyright permissions.

What to record when choosing

  • Boot mode, disk logical sectors, networking/peripheral support and behavior after reboot.
  • Power, noise, disks and accessories depend on the actual device. This catalog has no measurements or prices.
  • Use external media or backups to reduce switching costs. The linked project pages provide original documentation and route-specific limits.

Projects and sources

Computers & thin clientsTraditional reuse infrastructureIntermediateE1

Home Assistant OS ↗

Turn an old mini PC or thin client into a home automation server.

Device scopeGeneric x86-64 hosts / single-board computers supported by the official installation documentation.

Architecture, boot mode and storage requirements apply. Writing the image overwrites the target disk.

Repository not archivedReplace OS
Routers & NASTraditional reuse infrastructureIntermediateE1

OpenMediaVault ↗

Turn an old PC and storage hardware into a LAN NAS.

Device scopex86-64 or supported ARM hosts meeting installation requirements.

Plan OS and data disks separately, assess old-disk health and arrange backups.

Repository not archivedReplace OS
Computers & thin clientsTraditional reuse infrastructureIntermediateE1

DietPi ↗

Reduce the work of deploying services on old single-board computers with a lightweight OS and software management.

Device scopeSingle-board computers and x86_64 hosts with images on the download page.

Check the image, architecture and RAM limits for the target. Not every old board is supported.

Repository not archivedReplace OS
TVs & TV boxesTraditional reuse infrastructureIntermediateE1

LibreELEC ↗

Turn an old mini PC or supported device into a dedicated Kodi player.

Device scopeGeneric x86_64, Raspberry Pi and other devices with official images.

This is not universal firmware for every smart TV. Assess DRM service availability separately.

Repository not archivedReplace OS
GamingTraditional reuse infrastructureIntermediateE1

Batocera.linux ↗

Turn old computers or supported devices into dedicated retro-gaming systems.

Device scopePCs / single-board computers / handhelds with official images.

Performance is hardware-limited. The OS does not grant copyright permissions for game ROMs.

Repository not archivedExternal boot or OS replacement