How to utilize old hardware.

[RyanGreener]

Hey everyone, I've got a couple of desktops that are basically useless for anything but web browsing and I was wondering if there is anything 'cool' I could do with them instead of throwing them away or giving them away. I doubt anyone would actually buy them, so I come to you guys for advice (or things that you guys do instead). The specs are:

Intel P4 3.0 GHz with HT
Old Dedicated ATi GPU
Samsung 80GB 7200 RPM IDE HD
768MB RAM (not sure what configuration this RAM is, just how much I have)

It's a Dell so it can't be overclocked by normal means. Anyways, I have the option of using any distro of Linux or Windows XP. So....does anyone have any good ideas?

EDIT: I'm not interested in upgrading the various parts, and as far as I know, I don't really trust the hard drive enough to use this thing as a storage machine, but would rather not replace it.

 

[DesiPower]

You can use them for Torrents :biggrin: besides that there is nothing much you can do. Donate to someone who needs one, or to goodwill, you will get receipt!

Oh I forgot NAS!! downgrade the processor to 1.4 and run freenas!!

 

[RyanGreener]

Yeah I'm probably just going to give it to someone in need. I need to find someone now

 

[DesiPower]

Yeah I'm probably just going to give it to someone in need. I need to find someone now

Easy, craigslist, or leave it curbside with a note "in working condition"

 

[wwswimming]

i used my old Shuttle and my E6700 system to heat up a cage where i had some baby chickens.

that was 7 weeks ago. now they have their feathers and they're a little bigger than pigeons.

 

[mvbighead]

While it would consume too much power for a router, PFSense would be something it could handle easily, creating you a new, much more powerful router.

Fileserver again is a good one, but also consumes too much power there as well.

Could run a Linux server on it and tinker with that.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, I've got two P4 machines that I'm working on giving away too. They are kind of a hard sell though, as far as selling goes.

There was a guy at the MIT flea selling P4 machines, with 2.4 or 3.06 HT, 512MB DDR, and 40GB HD, and XP with COA (they were Dell SFF desktops), for $40, with a free CRT if you wanted one. He did sell all 10 of them that he brought, but didn't give away any monitors.

There was another guy selling an E8400 rig for $250, not sure of specs.

 

[Geofram]

While it would consume too much power for a router, PFSense would be something it could handle easily, creating you a new, much more powerful router.

Fileserver again is a good one, but also consumes too much power there as well.

Could run a Linux server on it and tinker with that.

I second the 'router' option. You can both learn a lot - since most of the Sonicwall/pfSense type things have a million more options than your standard SOHO router, and you can tinker and learn what does what - and you can have a hugely more stable router. I never have to reboot my Atom PC that's running Astaro, and it does web filtering/virus scanning/etc in addition to routing and NATing.

 

[piasabird]

Wait for the next technology turn-in Day. They often have them where I live. However, I usually would either do complete low level Format, or remove the hard drive.

 

[RyanGreener]

Thanks for the suggestions, but it would be too big/power hungry to be used as a router. Also, I already have a decent Asus Router with DDWRT on it that gets the job done, and I'm not really too good with router/firewall setups other than the basics.

The best thing I can do with it is to use it as a rig to experiment with Linux on, or to just give it away to someone for cheap.