Old computers, still useful?

[Beller0ph1]

I have a Pentium 75 with 40MB of some kind of RAM and a 560MB HDD circa 1995. It even runs Windows 95! What can I do with it? A hard drive into a MP3 server? A linux box? Crunching DC units?

[Edwin Starr]Huh, yeah, what is it good for...absolutely nothing {I hope not!} [/Edwin Starr]

 

[Spac3d]

I personally wouldn't use it because I don't think it is worth the power consumption.

 

[notfred]

MP3 server? Not enough space. A new hard drive would be worth more than the rest of the machine. Linux box? For what? You're not going to find any particular operating system more useful on a computer you haven't used in years anyway. Crunching DC units? It's not worthh the electricity the machine will take to run. You're going to use the same amount of power to do 5% of the work of a modern machine.

Just throw it out, or give it to someone with no computer.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Beller0ph1
I have a Pentium 75 with 40MB of some kind of RAM and a 560MB HDD circa 1995. It even runs Windows 95! What can I do with it? A hard drive into a MP3 server? A linux box? Crunching DC units?

[Edwin Starr]Huh, yeah, what is it good for...absolutely nothing {I hope not!} [/Edwin Starr]

You can use it as a router like I did with an old P166.

I use an old P300 SS7 as my Linux webserver.

 

[MedicBob]

Router/Firewall

 

[Anubis]

yes!!!! SETI for teh TeAm

or a web server

 

[oniq]

repost

 

[rival]

Originally posted by: TheEvil1
yes!!!! SETI for teh TeAm

or a web server

are you high man? that thing would do 1/4 a WU in 16 years

 

[Torghn]

About the only thing useful would be a router. You could run a mail server/web server, but it'll only be good enough for a very small workload.

 

For a small personal site (if your broadband ISP allows) it'd be good as a webserver. That would require good uptime by your ISP though, and constant uptime for the computer.

 

[BurnItDwn]

there are many uses ... mp3 box, print server, webserver, router, extra box for like word processing or websurfing ... etc

 

[Provider]

My friend used one about the same specs for a mp3 player in his car...
bigger harddrive though.

 

[GaryShandling]

Shove doom 3 in it, and wait.

 

[vegetation]

Not even worth using as a router/firewall. You're much better off power consumption, noise-level, and space savings wise to use a regular standalone router, they are so cheap these days it's a no-brainer.

 

[PCMarine]

My old Pentium 166mhz could hardly play MP3s. The only application open had to be winamp, otherwise the music would skip like mad.

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
there are many uses ... mp3 box, print server, webserver, router, extra box for like word processing or websurfing ... etc

Okay, call me clueless, but why do people need a print server? What does it do?

 

[monk3y]

I just took my old computer apart and sold odd parts for no more than $5.

 

[Beller0ph1]

Just as I suspected...the only thing to do is to part it out / sell it. I guess some ideas could be:

-Make the processor / memory into keychains...people might want those
-Practice / do a window mod for the hard drive...could just make it a fancy light for the case...could be cool
-Sell the case for shipping...someone might want an old AT case and power supply for modding purposes. Heck, take a Dremmel to the thing and it's good as gold.
-Floppy I could sell...
-Motherboard??? I guess someone could use it as an art piece or something

Let's see if the old saying "One man's trash is another man's treasure". What does everyone think?