OLD PCs

Communities Science, Engineering, & Security
1

Okay, I have numerous old PCs in my garage that are just sitting there and I wondered if there is anything cool to do with them! I would like to make one of them into a router as mine is terribly slow and horrible! Also, if there is anything else, cool that I can do with my old PCs! :D

Thanks for any replies in advance, Danny

2

You can make a coffee table with the old cases as legs and a glass top. Also sell the gold in them.

3

I have two old pc's as well. Im planning to make a Teamspeak server on one of them. 

Would like some inspiration for the other.

They're like pentium 4's.

4

Depends on how old they are. If they clearly belong in a museum, use them for playing around with old architectures. Things I have used old computer for are irc servers ,minecraft server, Network storage, and bitsync node. It is kinda nice to have an always on computer for your bitsyncs in case your main computer is off or something.

5

Play old games on them, or learn dos/linux/programming. 

I think DOSBox is not as real thing

6

I know what i'd do. Over here we have a lot going on with hacked Routers and so. So i'd for sure install a nice little Firewall like an opensource ipfire. but that would also depend on the power consumption.

or maybe a privat dropbox alternative with "unlimited" storage, or NAS system

and if you really have multiple Systems, then i would overclock the crap out of one. and maybe try ln2/dryice cooling

7

especially if you have some 2.x ghz core 2 duo, they can be overclocked pretty high (2.3-> 3.6 on stock cooler)

8

What is a Bitsync

9

Ah, well, thanks for all the cool suggestions, I will definately give them all a go :D

10

Decentralized dropbox you fully control.

11

Id take the cases (if they support ATX or Micro ATX MOBO's) slap a $40 mobo in the $80 CPU $75 RAM and a $120 GPU and as small and cheap a PSU as you can inside and sell them to parents for $450 (a small profit) for a gaming/student PC that is better spec'd than regular PC's at that price point. don't worry too much about cable management, just keep it as tidy as you can.

12

you can make one into a PFSense box with on router virus control and web caching

13

Ooooh Yes, thats true. I had an core2duo e8400. stock 3,166ghz running at well over 4,2ghz unter a scythe mugen 2. for benching i could push it towards 4,5ghz but never got is rock solid with aircooling.

i regret it soooo much that i sold those parts. it oc sooo well. hadn't had much luck with chips since then...

14

PFSense box is a good way to go. 

I took an old Dell I got from my grandmother and pulled it all apart and put it in a fish tank filled with mineral oil and loaded it up with aquarium rocks and fake plants and a bubbler. 

Tis an aquarium and a router all in one. 

15

I would slap on old gpu and decent psu. Ap4 w/ windows or linux a few gb ram and a nice gpu actually does quite well as an htpc. My 775 3.4ghz p4 that I ran along with 1gb ram performed quite well and was nice for youtube , netflix, and gta 3 Untill my needs became higher.

16

I would turn them into a NAS or just a test system for parts. Or make a badass router. Or you could turn it into the cheapest bitcoin mining machine in history

17

If one of the old PCs you have are capable of it, why don't you consider building yourself a DIY MAME-powered arcade machine (http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/how_build_kickass_mame_arcade_rig_old_pc_pics)?

You can also rebuild one of the stronger machines, install linux on it and donate it to a school or community center or maybe a needy family with a child interested in computers.

You could also consider selling them for scrap metal, old computers contain lots of lead and copper and I'm pretty sure you can get a few dollars for that.