what to do with old pc?

Sam Vimes

i've come into possesion of a crappy old computer that i want to get running properly. i have options:



1. try to fix the dodgy win 98 installation without the windows cd

2. install 98SE. does anyone know if a 98 serial key can be used for 98SE? or can i put in a 98SE cd whenever 98 says "insert the windows 98 cd" when installing stuff

3. install windows Me. it has a key for Me on the side of the case but Me is a pile of crap from what i hear

4. install xp. it only has 64 MB ram so this is kind of out of the question

5. install linux and bring back that "nothing works" headache i got when i installed it on my pc

6. strip it for parts and sell it. it has an 8GB hdd and 64 mb ram as i said so i'd probably get a tenner from the scrap yard man


what do people think i should do?

amok

I'm trying to build a PC at the moment from salvaged parts of other boxes so I can put FreeBSD on my run down laptop. I'll pm you my IM details.

Blowfish

Use it as a firewall, with monowall or something on it.

Ruu_Old

Pimp it. Find out how much RAM it will take and the max processor the mobo can handle, if its any way decent at all then it could be a little project to work on.

mneylon

Shove linux on it and set it up as an mp3 store

Signpost

blacknight wrote:

Shove linux on it and set it up as an mp3 store

Is it difficult to do this? I have loads of old pc's and often thought about this but never quite understood how to! Anyone able to guide me in the right direction? Would it be possible to turn the system into a complete media centre by anychance? i have a lot of dvd's that i could copy up rather than wasting storage on my ever decreasing harddrive!

Zillah

Its so old as to be next to useless. For one, I doubt it could even run DVD ripping software, and if it could, it'd take hours. Finally, and most importantly, you could fit about 2 DVDs on an 8gig HD.

As for an mp3 storage unit, that could work. You just need to network them and use it as storage. You can fit a good few mp3s on 8gig.

Sam Vimes

Ruu wrote:

Pimp it. Find out how much RAM it will take and the max processor the mobo can handle, if its any way decent at all then it could be a little project to work on.

i half followed your suggestion. i remembered i had 128 sd ram in an old computer so i threw it in and managed to get xp running, albeit slowly. i'm getting another 128 tomorrow to speed it up another bit.

i wouldn't get a new processor because spending money on it would be missing the point

Ruu_Old

What kind of slot/socket is the motherboard using?

Sam Vimes

Ruu wrote:

What kind of slot/socket is the motherboard using?

im not sure tbh. its an intel celeron 700MHz so i think its socket 370.

melekalikimaka

700 is plenty good, double the ram, jam in ubuntu, get a huge drive, stick it in your attic and you have a file server