[K12OSN] Urgent help needed catching up- Angry & Frustrated Users!

[Anthony Luscre]

Our district has been running three LTSP labs with 20 to 30 client each since way back in the version 3 days, six years ago.

Recently I have updated all three servers and OS for all three.
Currently we are running Fedora 10 with LTSP-5. Each server is a a quad core xenon with 7 to 13 gigs of RAM. 
We are still using our original client terminals - Compaq iPAQ Desktop Computers- 500MHz PIII with 64  to 128 RAM with hard drive removed. 

This year we have been experiencing a number of issues with varying frequencies:
1. Failure of whole lab to be able to log on simultaneously
2. FireFox slow or constantly freezing
3. OpenOffice slow or freezing
4. Failure of client terminals to get boot from server if restarted after a freeze.

My questions:
1. Will upgrading the client terminals to Dell GX240's with Pentium 4 1.5 GHz processors with 256mb RAM make a significant improvement on their own?

2. Do I need to utilize "Local Apps" to make it all work reliably?

3. If utilizing Local Apps will it help my current IPAQ do the job or will the Dell GX240s be necessary to see an improvement?

4. I am not really sure what I need to do to run Local Apps with LTSP 5, is their a good source of recent information?

5. Are used computers with HD removed still a viable option for terminals and if so what are suggested requirements?

Thanks for any help you can give me on these issues as I would not like to see our 6 years experiment with LTSP come to an end due to teacher/student frustration and would be hard pressed to buy and maintain 80 new windows computers.

Anthony


Anthony A. Luscre - Director of Technology 

Mogadore Local Schools
1 S. Cleveland Ave.
Mogadore, OH 44260

mo_luscre at mogadore.net
PH--- 330-628-7255
FAX- 330-628-6661
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