Uses for an old system?

Software & Operating Systems Linux
1

I have a spare system with a duel core Intel Cpu, I don't know the exact specs, but it could not be used all that well as a file system because I only have a 80 gig hard drive for it. But, besides the duel core, it has 3 gigs of ddr2, I might be able to get a gig or so more for it. I'm running Linux on my main system right now, so I don't need a something to mess with for Linux.

2

Will make for a great linux box to play with. Or add a couple of cheap hdds and have it as a media server for your house perhaps.

3

I'm running Linux on my main system right now. I forgot to add that in.

4

What about a PFsense box?

5

as @ipat8 said PFsense. or put Q4OS on it or some other lightweight distro on it ..

6

I agree with @deejeta, make a media box.

7

media server/(box) is also a valid option!

8

I would use it for trying out stuff on Linux or turn it into mediacenter.

9

If you like retro games, and you're looking for bigger project, you could do an arcade cabinet build. If I ever move out of the city and get a place with a garage, I'm going to build one of these and load it with arcade games from the 80's & 90's. You can also buy old cabinets on ebay and mod them as necessary, but shipping can be a costly issue then.

You can set up a network with your main pc or server so that you can access content for watching movies, etc from another room. Basically an HTPC, but with remotely stored files since you only have an 80GB hard drive.

10

My vote goes toward either PfSense box or backup server, both of which are useful and will be a fun learning experience

11

i'll add to those that say, pfsense or file server.

have fun

12

Going to try to make a VPN. I hope it works.

13

All are pretty solid suggestions here. You could put Rockstor on it for storage or pfsense as a firewall. You could just through centos on it have it run web services like owncloud, Plex, etc. I am a fan of having web services separate from the storage server.

14

3 suggestions:

  1. NAS and Plex Media Server
  2. Steam Machine for steam streaming
  3. HTPC
15

you could do security onion with a read only tap on the Rx of your main router, get a nice and complete monitoring solution going with out the whole inline firewall aspect.

I have two old boxes under my desk as a two level foot rest (I use the lower level the most) ^_^