A home server journey that started with an old laptop
A home server setup began with an unused HP ProBook 450 G4 work laptop. The goal was to cut the family’s separate costs. Those costs included for the mother, for the writer and father, photo backups, Discord bot hosting, and a short-lived .
CasaOS first looked like an easy starting point for a beginner, but the setup path led to ZimaOS instead. After running the laptop all day for two weeks, the next step was building a dedicated home server. The chosen case was a Jonsbo N4 because it had a small NAS-style look with wood trim and room for more drives later.
The first dedicated build used an Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, 16GB Kingston Fury memory, a Samsung 990 Pro drive for the , a Z890M Aorus motherboard, an SF750 , and a Noctua NH-L9x65 cooler.
Key points
- The setup started with an unused HP ProBook laptop.
- The goal was to reduce paid services for storage, backups, bot hosting, and a .
- CasaOS was considered first, but the path shifted toward ZimaOS.
- The old laptop ran 24/7 for two weeks before a build began.
- The Jonsbo N4 case was chosen for its small NAS look and future drive space.