can i remote control a rig without OS and display output?

kemorno

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May 28, 2016
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so, i'm building a rig, piece by piece, and the last piece will be the GPU, which will be the only video output on the rig, and i would like to know, if i can use that pc, w/o the gpu or OS...
and with OS, how can i do it?
 
Solution
Remote control without an OS? no.
With an OS? just use remote desktop assuming it's on the same network as your other systems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJxgWPV0vi0

Though this may be more user friendly if they're both using windows 10:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/microsoft-remote-desktop/9wzdncrfj3ps#

Though if it doesn't have ANY video output (no integrated graphics) at all, it's pretty tricky to get setup and will require some pretty advanced knowledge.

In theory you can install windows to the HDD while it's hooked up to another working computer and then put it in the PC without video, after allowing it to have remote access.
Remote control without an OS? no.
With an OS? just use remote desktop assuming it's on the same network as your other systems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJxgWPV0vi0

Though this may be more user friendly if they're both using windows 10:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/microsoft-remote-desktop/9wzdncrfj3ps#

Though if it doesn't have ANY video output (no integrated graphics) at all, it's pretty tricky to get setup and will require some pretty advanced knowledge.

In theory you can install windows to the HDD while it's hooked up to another working computer and then put it in the PC without video, after allowing it to have remote access.
 
Solution


why dont everyone have answers like those? simple and direct, not like, recommending stuff . MVP for sure. i'll just install the OS on my SSD and plug it into the rig, then remote control... THANK YOU
 


Just FYI installing Windows to an SSD and then plugging it in and having it work is a stretch to say the least. It very well may not work (due to the hardware being completely different). Also you will need to configure it to be able to be remote desktop into on the hardware. This can't be done in this method either.

What are you building and does it have ANY video output you can use?
 
For completeness, there are ways to control a machine without any OS installed on it. However, they are only seen in the enterprise space, and you'd still require physical access for doing anything significant. For most practical purposes, you cannot control a machine without an OS installed.
 


Correct, I have this motherboard in my server:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182819

That computer has never had a monitor or keyboard connected to it ever, using IPMI I remoted in and was able to configure it and install Win 10. However I'm sure this is not what is being used here. Thats really the only way to remotely install an OS.
 
Exactly what I was referring to. I did not want to go into full details since that is clearly not the situation here, but since someone else in the future might look this up with the intent to use something like IPMI, I thought it should be mentioned.
 


Hang on...you're going to install the OS on the SSD, and then plug it into the other system?
Meaning install on the SSD in System A, then take it out and put the SSD in System B (the new one?), and hope it boots up?

Good luck. That will probably not work.
 


my pc right now its a ES1-512-C29D (very very bad for gaming, its a laptop for normal use, not gaming etc)
and the rig that i'm building its a:
MSI 970A G43 PLUS
AMD fx 8320e
rx 480 (last piece)
Samsung EVO 850 250GB
8GB Crucial ddr3
Cooler Master G550M

[strike]and dont go like "oh you should get a i3/5/7"[/strike]
 


noo no no, i'll buy a new OS and
ask for some tech store to install it (30€ in one near my house)
 


So you know exactly what I'm going to say about that rig based on your crossed out line. But whatever its your money.

Anyway without a GPU that rig is dead in the water. You cannot install Windows on the SSD somewhere else and plug it in, it will not work, nor can you properly configure Remote Desktop to function.
 


hmmm k, then i'll need to wait a few weeks more i guess... but thx
 


The OS needs to be installed on the drive, while that drive lives in the system where it will reside.
Plus, after you get it home and running in your LAN...there is a bit of configuring needed. Which will probably need a video output of some sort.


"piece by piece"
How long until you get that last part, the GPU?
 


not long, i've already all the other pieces, just waiting on my paycheck to get it, but it will be 2-3 weeks...
 


yeah, maybe i should chill a bit... but yeah, again thx
 


I've never done this, but with Windows 10 it's possible to reinstall the OS without any other media required, just the HDD it's installed on, so maybe you could install the OS on with it hooked up to another PC, then hook it up to the new PC, then run the windows reinstall... but that would require local video access as you couldn't remote into it.

Also...

Building your own computer is easy. Building it takes 2-3 hours, and installing windows takes about 30mins to 45mins, and after that downloading and installing drivers takes another 30-45 mins. After all that, have it download windows updates at night, it may take a 2-4 passes to get them all.

Building a PC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIF43-0mDk4
Installing Windows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zAdwedmj1M

Protip for installing drivers safely, install them one at a time and restart the computer after each install to avoid breaking the OS, which can happen if you try to install them all at once.

 


hmm yeah, no video output, no remote acess, np tho, and thx for the links, although i "know" how to build a pc, its always good to have something to lean on if needed
 
As side note, since no one so far mentioned it...

I always thought (99.9% sure) that computer would not even post, much less get to OS installing state without somekind of graphics adapter.
If it has no display attached, means nothing, if it's old crap with 8MB of ram doesn't matter but... there needs to be somekind of graphics adapter in there either discrete or integrated to chipset/CPU.

So.. remote connections aside, you would need somekind of GPU to get the computer to even boot.

That said, discard bins might have some old toys for low price like 5 to 15 to get you by that.
 


i thought about that, just buying a 5€ card and boot the pc, but i'll wait 'til i get the money
 

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