What to do with an old high end rig?

[micrometers]

I have in my possession a high end computer. It is a full ATX case, has like 10 fans, has a window so you can look at the computer components, it even has a lock (which I can't open atm) so no one enters the computer, steals its components, and then walks away with like a video card and RAM in hand (as opposed to just stealing the entire thing).

It's also an Athlon xp machine.

Meaning that pretty much nothing can be salvaged into a more modern system. The hard drives and RAM will be too small, the disc drives are all IDE, and the PSU probably couldn't handle a modern video card.

What should I do with it? Turn it into an aquarium? It's like 10 gallons.

 

[skillyho]

Freshly format and donate to a local thrift store or church? Tax write off....

 

[thelastjuju]

Convert it to an HTPC maybe.. or sell part by part on ebay

 

[micrometers]

Too big for an HTPC.

Who in teh world is going to buy an old athlon xp?

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Resell

 

[gmaster456]

Media/FTP server. MC Server, HTPC, or donate it.

 

[krnmastersgt]

Could try parting it out and selling it here, eBay, Craigslist. The cast (if you can find the key for the lock) with its fans might still fetch a decent amount from someone on Craigslist who has no idea what to look for in efficient airflow design and thinks more fans = must be better cooling

 

[zon2020]

Build a home server, or an internet security appliance, or any number of things it's still good for.

Too noisy for an htpc.

 

[fschris]

I am sure the Mars guys could use it. Donate to NASA.

 

[lakedude]

Putting Puppy/FatDog Linux on old systems can give em new life. Puppy is small so the small HD is no problem. Puppy runs completely from RAM so it is super fast, like having an SSD. Use as a server, surfer, office, photo viewer/editor, movie player (if the fans are too loud put the box in another room and run an HDMI cable or whatever), backup, kid's computer, BOINC cruncher, and all around handy to have second computer.

Oh and Puppy is free...

Check it out:

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy

 

[ElFenix]

Freshly format and donate to a local thrift store or church? Tax write off....

do they even want old computers anymore? back 20 years ago when PCs cost $3000 without monitor and most people hadn't the first clue about computers maybe, but nowadays computers are cheap and practically everyone has one.

 

[sm625]

wow if it has an athlon xp I shutter to imagine what kind of video card it uses. It probably performs worse than a C-60 in gaming lol. And surely uses so much power it isnt even worth running.

 

[blastingcap]

File Server

 

[VirtualLarry]

And surely uses so much power it isnt even worth running.

I don't know about that. Most Athlon XP heatsinks weren't that big. They didn't use that much power.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Putting Puppy/FatDog Linux on old systems can give em new life. Puppy is small so the small HD is no problem. Puppy runs completely from RAM so it is super fast, like having an SSD. Use as a server, surfer, office, photo viewer/editor, movie player (if the fans are too loud put the box in another room and run an HDMI cable or whatever), backup, kid's computer, BOINC cruncher, and all around handy to have second computer.

Oh and Puppy is free...

Check it out:

Better than just XP? Faster, I mean, for things like Firefox?

 

[lakedude]

Better than just XP? Faster, I mean, for things like Firefox?

Much faster because it runs in RAM rather than having to load off the HD.

And by faster I mean more responsive, like an SSD.

It is free, easy to download and does not require installing to check it out. It will run perfectly fine from the live CD.

Since you mentioned Firefox you might snag FatDog-64 Firefox edition or use the package manager to download Firefox with the standard 32 bit version of Puppy.

http://distro.ibiblio.org/fatdog/iso/

An ISO burner if you need one:

http://www.ntfs.com/iso-burning.htm

Puppy will boot in just a couple minutes from CD or just a few seconds if you install it to your HD.

 

[VirtualLarry]

How well does Puppy run in 512MB of RAM on an older Dell with a P4Celeron 2.53 Ghz CPU?
Can you install it to a USB flash drive, and boot off of it?
I have a lady in my apt complex, that doesn't have a lot of money, that is still using that machine with XP. It really needs a reformat, but I told her my prices, and she says she doesn't have any money. (But does own a flat-screen TV, high-speed internet, and a cell phone. Maybe that's why she has no money. )

Maybe if I threw Puppy Linux onto a USB flash drive and gave it to her, she could boot off of that, and make the machine usable again, without having to reformat.

I did dig out some DDR memory that I could throw into her machine too. I stopped by but she wasn't home today.

http://www.puppylinux.com/flash-puppy.htm

Edit:

Well, I got her set up with Puppy Linux today, and finally figured out how to get Java installed. Kind of a PITA. It supports persistance, but ONLY after you've rebooted twice. That much wasn't clear to me. I had to set up her wifi password several times because of that.

 

[Rikard]

I gave mine to my father in law for some karma points, plus it never hurts to suck up to Her family... I am sure you have someone who would appreciate it, like a 10 year old with a tech interest or such.

 

[lakedude]

Cool! I got someone to try Puppy! Pretty slick how easy it is.

I've had great luck with a full install (works like any other OS), and great luck running from CD (where you get a fresh start each time you boot).

The USB thing has caused some problems because the USB stick eventually runs out of space. It fills up with browser cache and other gunk. Curiously the whole stick does not fill up, just the personal data section.

There is a way to clear all this out but I'm too lazy to do all that maintenance so I avoid the USB stick install out of laziness and the availability of other methods...

The chaps at http://murga-linux.com/puppy/ can be a big help.