Using a laptop 24/7

I currently have a linux server that is used as a central file server, print serv, localhost apache for web dev and consolodate email using IMAP and remote ssh access.
Its currently a 3Ghz desktop (total overkill) and my power bill is cranking up (and sucking life out of the environment). It is also the PC i use as a 3D graphics workstation so i am loosing serveral resources to "serving".

I was considering using an old 800Mhz laptop + 2x 1/4 terrabyte USB2.0 disks to do this instead. As it would free up all my resources on the big PC on which i do my 3D stuff as well. However, I am worried about any safety considerations as it would be on 24/7. I know all about the battery explosion risks but the battery would be removed. Has anyone herd of any laptops going up in smoke where the battery [b]wasnt[b] involved?

I dont want this to happen in my house: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlZggVrF9VI
Lol. (that was the batttery though)

i have a laptop thats on almost 24/7 i have it set so that when i shut the lid it does't sleep and stuff so it stays on. no problems yet but it starts to go slow sometimes, just needs a restart.

cool vid thx.

What about one of these instead?:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Linksys-Network-Storage-Link-NSLU2/dp/B00062KPEI/ref=pd_sbs_ce_title_4

Doesn't use much power and is massively configurable. Take a look on google for peoples uses of it.

I would rather go for something like this as its more than just fileserving i need:
http://www.axiomtek.com.tw/Products/ViewProduct.asp?view=337

Its fanless and designed to be on all the time.
But they are not -that- cheap.

I suspect a huge price difference. The linksys NAS does more than file serving. It runs Linux after all.

Take a look here:
http://west-penwith.org.uk/blog/archives/57


Also look here (its called The Slug):
http://www.nslu2-linux.org/

I had my old acer notebook beeing online as gameserver and SVN for months without a single shutdown or restart ... so I would assume its possible without the least problem.
Just make sure you:

1. never close the lid (-> thermal destruction to the screen) unless you force the system to remain on lowest power level (-> Pentium-M lowest possible most likely)
2. remove the battery at least if you have a trash notebook that does not disconnect the battery from power circulation (good ones do that to preserve the battery capacity). was not needed on mine and gives you a simple yet powerfull longlasting "fallback power solution" to your server

This old laptop has the cracked screen, inverter, modem and the battery removed so is in effect just a motherboard and disk.

I guess it should be fine then. Im just wondering about what would happen should the fan stop working :/

Laptop fans are pretty reliable, to be honest. If a fan ever stops, its normally because the power supply has failed.

However, if a fan failed, and the power supply didn't, then the BIOS thermal protection should shut the thing down. Although in a laptop thats just sat there doing nothing for most of the time, the fan probably won't be doing anything anyway.

if the fan stops working it might become warmer, but not needfully. an external fan plate will solve it then anyway.

Woohoo found one and am gonna get me one as its a cool little build project anyway. Found out my laptop is no good anyway (usb1 ports)

Thanks for the advice though guys.

Heres the linkage as im sure others would find this very useful for the price and would make a great fileserver / sshd remote access box. :D
http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=43&currency=0

you can put a USB 2.0 card in if you have a card slot.

The linksys NSLU2 is an excellent bit of kit for this sort of thing. A quick hack (unslung) and it becomes a full mini unix box, with the power requirements of a lightbulb.

I have the following on mine:
Fileserving
Subversion server
Apache / Mysql
mail consolidation (although I'm not using it at the mo).

I've not tried print serving, but probably possible.

Another one, which I'll probably replace the slug with at some point is this Bubba – The Mini Server.
Slightly higher power requirements, but extremely interesting bit of kit.