OPEN BOOT LAB // HARDWARE · LINUX · EXPERIMENTS
OLD HARDWARE.
NEW IDEAS.
Building, breaking and repurposing computers, Linux systems,
cyberdecks and whatever else ends up on the bench.
01
HARDWARE PROJECTS
Old PCs, forgotten hardware and new builds made from whatever is lying around the lab.
02
REVIEWS
Hands-on reviews and first impressions of hardware, software and gear from the lab.
03
LAB NOTES
Short experiments, discoveries, failures and work-in-progress from the bench.
LATEST FROM THE LAB
LATEST POSTS // BUILDS // EXPERIMENTS
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How to Install Linux on a 32-Bit Atom Netbook in 2026
Most Linux distributions have abandoned 32-bit computers, but antiX can still give an Intel Atom netbook a useful second life. Here is how I installed it on an HP Mini 110.
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Baracuda Manta Gaming Mouse
The Baracuda Manta is a wired RGB gaming mouse that sits firmly in the budget category, but on paper it comes with features normally associated with much more expensive gaming mice. You get an optical sensor capable of up to 12,800 DPI, 8 buttons, 1000 Hz polling, RGB lighting and software support, all packed into…
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TP-Link TL-WN725N Review – This Tiny Wi-Fi Dongle Fixed My ThinkPad
A tiny and inexpensive USB Wi-Fi adapter turned out to be the simplest solution to the wireless problems on my ThinkPad SL510. Here is the unboxing, Linux setup, size comparison and real-world performance test.