Running a Bitcoin node on an old laptop is definitely feasible, and it's a great way to contribute to the network. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you set up a Bitcoin node on your old laptop:

**Hardware Requirements:**

* Old laptop (at least 2-3 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM, and a decent hard drive)

* SSD (as you mentioned, this will greatly improve performance)

* Internet connection with a stable upload speed (at least 10 Mbps)

**Software Requirements:**

* Operating System: Linux (preferably Ubuntu) or macOS

* Bitcoin Core software (the official Bitcoin node software)

**Steps to Run a Bitcoin Node:**

1. **Prepare the laptop:**

* Install Linux on your old laptop, if you haven't already.

* Replace the hard drive with an SSD for better performance.

2. **Install dependencies:**

* Update your package list and install required packages:

+ On Ubuntu/Debian-based systems: `sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install build-essential libssl-dev libboost-all-dev libminiupnpc-dev git`

+ On macOS (with Homebrew): `brew install openssl boost miniupnpc git`

3. **Install Bitcoin Core:**

* Clone the Bitcoin Core repository from GitHub using Git:

+ `git clone https://github.com/bitcoin-core/bitcoin.git`

4. **Build and configure Bitcoin Core:**

* Navigate to the cloned repository:

+ `cd bitcoin`

* Run the build script (this may take a while):

+ `./autogen.sh && ./configure && make -j$(nproc)`

5. **Run Bitcoin Core:**

* Start the Bitcoin node by running the command:

+ `./src/bitcoind --datadir=~/bitcoin`

6. **Wait for synchronization:**

* The node will begin downloading and syncing with the network.

* This process may take several days, depending on your internet connection speed.

**Tips and Considerations:**

* Make sure you have a stable and fast internet connection to download the Bitcoin blockchain (~300 GB).

* Running a full node requires about 50 GB of storage space for the blockchain data.

* If you plan to run multiple nodes, consider setting up a separate partition or disk for each node.

* Be aware that running a Bitcoin node may increase your electricity consumption due to the CPU and network usage.

**Additional Resources:**

For more detailed information on setting up and running a Bitcoin node, refer to:

1. The official Bitcoin Core documentation (<https://bitcoincore.org/en/>)

2. The Bitcoin Node Setup Guide by Jeffery Robicheaux (a comprehensive guide for Linux)

By following these steps, you'll be able to run a Bitcoin node on your old laptop and contribute to the network's decentralization and security.

Please note that running a Bitcoin node may require some technical expertise, so if you're not comfortable with the process, consider seeking guidance from online communities or experts.

I ran fulmo.org 's raspiblitz project for almost a halving until ssd passed. Follow nostr:nprofile1qqsdzexh3s943m0tyt25jskv7tup2kl053wupcm30nqls8g0zy69r0cpzamhxue69uhkvun2daekstnwdaehgu339e3k7mgprfmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuurn093ksmm9wshxuetcw4esz9thwden5te0dehhxarj9eehgunfw3ejuertuxnrar and nostr:nprofile1qqs24sraj5yfee4d7z9ez4k58sdy4dv5ccfsklwtztkpnyqgckqe5tcpg3mhxw309ann2enhw94hvdejd4sksmnsxaexjm3nwasnwv3kw9h85dtcdek85cmexcmnvetsw4h8weth0pjxjvmkd33kxc3jv9jzummwd9hkutcpg3mhxw309umkzafndyexwe3nddnhsum9wdhkuvmzw95hg7nexvervcnfdahkgmfhxf6kvv35vfaxwdthwdh8wut8de6x5um8d9jzummwd9hkutcpg3mhxw309uehyuredd6hwensva4xj6ned56r2umkvda8v7nsvf6hydn5xeurgc3kxakxuansxemhserjv5exxut00ymxzdry09jzummwd9hkutchpc0zh for updates on the project and help from the community https://x.com/openoms/status/1407377844024528905?s=20

Umbrel OS is pretty simple to use, one-click installs for nodes and other stuff. Check it out, you'll need to flash the drive with Umbrel OS