General Discussions

**NullPointer** · 09-21-2007, 02:24 PM

I've got an old P4 system laying around my house collecting dust, still operates perfectly, I just don't use it. I'm curious to know what you guys do with your old machines once you've replaced them?

I was thinking about firing it back up, networking it, and using it for storage.

**tripy** · 09-21-2007, 04:21 PM

I personally use something similar for my php devs, with linux on it.
An old athlon, completely open, with no vents (to keep it as quiet as can be).

I even put it on my dmz, and I'm using it to access files or monitor downloads via ssh when I'm at work.

**Learning Newbie** · 09-21-2007, 04:29 PM

What era Pentium 4 was it? The later 2.x GHz ones with hyperthreading, or one of the first?

If it's the latter, I'd turn it into a server, of whatever kind you could make use of. Personally if it were mine I'd build it into a SQL Server 2008 beta for development use. The fact that it's not fast enough for that is ideal, because it'll force me to use the best T-SQL code.

You might use it to drive a couple cheap hard discs? You can get 750 GB for $99 on sale in one IDE slot, so you could easily set up a TB or two, even mirrored. Then use that for mass storage on your home network. I like the idea of making servers because then you don't need a screen or keyboard or anything. Just a power and ethernet cable.

**joder** · 09-21-2007, 04:36 PM

I make mine into development servers. PHP, MySQL, Oracle, Perl, Python, Apache.

**NullPointer** · 09-21-2007, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

What era Pentium 4 was it? The later 2.x GHz ones with hyperthreading, or one of the first?

If it's the latter, I'd turn it into a server, of whatever kind you could make use of. Personally if it were mine I'd build it into a SQL Server 2008 beta for development use. The fact that it's not fast enough for that is ideal, because it'll force me to use the best T-SQL code.

You might use it to drive a couple cheap hard discs? You can get 750 GB for $99 on sale in one IDE slot, so you could easily set up a TB or two, even mirrored. Then use that for mass storage on your home network. I like the idea of making servers because then you don't need a screen or keyboard or anything. Just a power and ethernet cable.

Its an older one. 2.8Ghz but it has a 533Mhz FSB rather than the 800 and HT. My plan is to network it and use it for storage and a print server. What I may do however, if I have the time is get LAMP going on it just to mess around with it. Or I could: http://www.applefritter.com/image/tid/114

**CSS4Life** · 09-21-2007, 05:43 PM

I'd vote for turning it into an aquarium

**rogem002** · 09-21-2007, 06:18 PM

I burn my old machines while laughing like a mad man! If I can't find fire, I'll recycle them.

**coolkbk585** · 09-21-2007, 06:19 PM

lol @ whym

Well, I turn all of my old computers into web servers. Sometimes I try to scrap a really old computer and take all of the better parts from two computers and pile them computer. You can get a pretty good computer when you combine them :P

**Learning Newbie** · 09-21-2007, 06:28 PM

Or you could build a farm. Like have 4 or 8 web servers with load balancing and gain experience in that realm.

**ADAM Web Design** · 09-21-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

I like the idea of making servers because then you don't need a screen or keyboard or anything. Just a power and ethernet cable.

KVMs are great that way, too...just a passive two-port switch hooked up to your first and second box, double-click the Scroll Lock key (in my case), and you've got two boxes ready to rock.

I've got an idea for what you can do with old machines, but you need some serious backyard property to pull it off. One of my clients and I did it when his website got us both on the map. Four years ago, he replaced his old Pentium 166 (yeah, you read that right!) with a new computer in his head office, then added a computer to each of his two showrooms.

Then we had some real fun. My client, his carpenter buddy, his two sons, and I went out onto the side lot of his property, which goes back about 125 yards. We set up the P166 at one end of the lot, then went to the other, got some 9-irons and golf balls, and played a rather unique version of "closest to the pin" for about four hours. Then we got bored and tried horseshoes for a couple of hours. By the end of the night, the thing looked sort of like the front end of a car that just drove into a wall at about 90 MPH. What a sweet afternoon/evening that was.

**sandbox** · 09-21-2007, 07:52 PM

Ha Ha, that would be an upgrade for me. I use a 450 mhz machine running windows 98se.

I have a few 166 mhz machines that I use for networking, emergency, and storage type stuff. You would be suprised how useful one of these dinasours are.

I use bblean and 98lite to make windows a bit more responsive and there's loads of free programs because it's out of date.

"whym" you could turn one of these into an aquarium, I saw a tutorial were a guy used mineral oil and plastic fish to look like his computer was at the botom of an aquarium. It was quit cool.

**ashish** · 09-22-2007, 05:22 AM

i gave away my last machine to a friend... he used it for spare parts :P

**ForrestCroce** · 09-22-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design

KVMs are great that way, too...just a passive two-port switch hooked up to your first and second box, double-click the Scroll Lock key (in my case), and you've got two boxes ready to rock.

KVMs are great. And you can get one to connect to about as many computers as you could ever need.

**swiftmed** · 09-23-2007, 06:06 PM

i offer my computer as "hand me downs" to family members. i always have a top of the range system replaced every 6 or so months, so when im handing my machines down, they are practically brand new anyways.

i will keep my new computer tho. i love it. Dual core 2.8ghz pentium, 4gb ram, 2x 500gb hard drives, and 2x 22" widescreen TFT's. IN LOVE WITH IT!

**HypaCast** · 09-24-2007, 07:54 PM

Gave 1 of my old pcs to my girlfriend, the other I took to the local second hand shop and walked away with twice as much as I was expecting?

**NullPointer** · 09-24-2007, 08:36 PM

I love my computers too much to get rid of them. I have a commadore A-500 sitting in my closet from when I was a kid. I figure in 50 years I will have a timeline of computing from 1990 on.

**Giselle** · 09-24-2007, 09:04 PM

Just keep upgrading with new parts.....

**seo_dna** · 09-25-2007, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NullPointer

I've got an old P4 system laying around my house collecting dust, still operates perfectly, I just don't use it. I'm curious to know what you guys do with your old machines once you've replaced them?

I was thinking about firing it back up, networking it, and using it for storage.

I just Sell them

**saif_web** · 09-25-2007, 07:25 AM

I also plan to sell my old desktop.

**annylurk** · 09-25-2007, 09:13 AM

I also sell them for cheap prices.