Image: noobakw / reddit.com · Stripped MSI laptop motherboard, cooling fan and storage mounted on a wall
An old MSI laptop stripped into a wall-mounted home server
The maker used Claude to set up Home Assistant on an old MSI laptop, removed the damaged case and display, and mounted the remaining hardware on a wall.
Credits
Earliest dated source: Details reviewed:
The full story
An old MSI laptop had a display hanging loose. Its owner removed the casing, keyboard and display assembly and reused the remaining hardware as a Home Assistant server.
The maker says Claude helped with the setup. Wake-on-power removes the need for a physical power button, and the wall-mounted machine now controls household lights, air conditioning, a fan and curtains.
Before and after
- Starting problem
- An old laptop with a damaged display assembly.
- Reported result
- A wall-mounted Home Assistant server that the maker reports working.
Device and compatibility
- Old MSI laptop; exact model not statedSource ↗
What you need
- The maker enabled wake-on-power so the stripped machine starts without its original power button. Source ↗
What Claude did
- Home Assistant server setupClaude Source ↗
How it was done
Tools
Themes
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Sources
From a short post by the maker, so the details are as they tell them.
- Reddit: Ripped out the motherboard from an old laptop and made a Frankenstein homelab!
The maker's post describing the project and reported limitations.