What do YOU do with an extra PC?

[fjmeat]

1) Wipe it, reinstall OS and sell or gift it?

2) Shut it down and store it for a backup?

3) Run it as a file sever?

4) Other.

 

[NuclearNed]

I stuff it full of Doritos.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

get rid of it

 

[mvbighead]

Guest room machine that stays off mostly. Brother's machine. Give it to some kid who might want to get into light gaming. Granted, I don't tinker as much as I used to... so my scraps would not be all that useful in gaming anymore, but for the most part, I tend to rebuild them for other people. Only issue with that is if someone screws them up.

 

[HumblePie]

Umm... depends on how many extra you have. I used one for an HTPC and another for a file server. The other 3 or 4 just sit there right now.

 

[SamQuint]

Wipe it then install a new Linux OS or make it a hackintosh just to learn something new.

Then use it as a file back up server or media streaming server.

 

[Scotteq]

I wipe it, do a clean install, and give it to one of my nephews. So: #1

Then they expect you to be tech support :\.

That *is* a problem. But they do that anyhow, and at least in this case I built the thing.

 

[Duder1no]

#1

 

[ViviTheMage]

typically, sell it...upgrade main computer/server.

 

[BurnItDwn]

reformat, install OS, gift it

I have a server, I have my backup machine, I have a decent primary machine, and I have a laptop, all I really need. Since my BR player can stream netflix I don't really need an HTPC, and since I have a router, I don't need an ip masquerade box any more, though maybe it would be smart to use a pf box as a firewall, I can live without that.

 

[Aikouka]

reformat, install OS, gift it.

Then they expect you to be tech support :\.

 

[bobdole369]

Install BOINC. Join AT DC team.

 

[HAL9000]

Linux Server. Always a Linux Server. (unless I need the parts)

 

[alfa147x]

24 hour / 7 days a porn playing box.

 

[dpodblood]

Upgrade mom/dad/gf's computer with my old parts.

 

[Unheard]

Folding Farm

 

[BurnItDwn]

Then they expect you to be tech support :\.

Ehhh, I don't gift them to morons.

My mom has one, my cousin has one, my uncle has one, another cousin has another......

My brother lives at my moms and can fix hers. (she's on fixed income so it was just $$$ that prevents her from getting new hardware)

my cousin's smart and can figure out most of his problems, otherwise I take a look at it when I'm visiting

My uncle knows how to format and install windows and maintain the PC, he just has no $$$ so he got my last one, athlon 64 3000+ that I no longer needed, was a nice upgrade from his celeron 500)

My other cousin has my old laptop, well, 3 cousin's really ... they live out of state (my uncle who has no $$$'s kids), and my uncle doesn't have custody of them, so I told them this was for them to use for school (oldest is a teenager and responsible so they are OK with it)

I spend less than 10 hours per year supporting these systems....
I've been gifting my unneeded systems since I put together my fourth machine around 1999, and I am selective about who I gift them to...

 

[bignateyk]

Depends how old it is. If it is old, probably just toss it in the trash. I only have my iPhone though. No computer for me. Sitting in front of one for 8 hours at work is plenty for me.

 

[Raduque]

It would be come a server for me. I had to convert my last one to an HTPC because my sister destroys PCs.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Put it next to my bed and use it as a night stand. The CD tray makes a good beer holder.

 

[nageov3t]

Then they expect you to be tech support :\

exactly. made that mistake when I repackaged some old hardware to give as a gift.

generally speaking, it's rare for me to have an entirely extra PC. I tend to only upgrade cases every 5-6 years. I used to keep extra parts like motherboards, video cards, etc around just in case, but now that I have a reasonably powerful laptop, I tend to re-sell, trash, or give them away (under the assumption that any friend who knows what to do with a barebones motherboard wouldn't need tech help)

 

[Jadow]

I put a TV tuner in my second PC and connected it and my primary to a KVM so I can switch back and forth between the two.

The 2nd PC is:

1. TV Tuner
2. Printer server
3. Use it to rip DVDs
4. Keep extra copy of critical files on there (as well as in about 3 other places)

 

[dpodblood]

Put it next to my bed and use it as a night stand. The CD tray makes a good beer holder.

You need a beer holder next to your bed? That's classy.

 

[CVSiN]

1) Wipe it, reinstall OS and sell or gift it?

2) Shut it down and store it for a backup?

3) Run it as a file sever?

4) Other.

other.. 1 can never have too many PCs..

right now Ive got
1 SB 2600-K with a 580 in it and 12 gigs of DDR3 1600 (main game entertainment machine)

1 i7 930 with SLI 460 GTX 1gig FTWs also with 12 gigs and 6 terabytes of storage (media streaming machine and movie storage and back up game box)

1 C2D 5400 6 gigs of ram and a GTX 285 (in closet but will find a use for it)

1 HP i7 Elitebook 250gig SSD and Nvidia Mobile graphics ( mobile gaming laptop)

1HP i5 Elitebook (work laptop) with 250gig Hybrid/SSD Drive.

 

[Wyndru]

I've recently got rid of all my old computer equipment. I figure no one wants old hardware since new hardware is dirt cheap. I got sick of storing old computer parts and cases so I tossed all of my old stuff. I doubt I'd ever use it anyhow so it was just collecting dust. I came across some old pentiums, slot 1's, a bunch of edo sticks, isa cards and was wondering wtf was I doing hoarding all this obsolete crap.

I keep around any newer model laptops I replace though, but the desktops go to the dump.