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What to do w/old PC?

  • 29-10-2006 8:45pm
    #1
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,822 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi guys,
    so I've got this old Packard-Bell lying around -- Celeron 266, 192mb SD-RAM, 40Gb HDD, 2 PCI modem cards -- it's even got Win95! :p

    So, what can I do with this machine? I was thinking something w/Linux, but... no real clue :rolleyes:


Comments

  • #2
    ToxicPaddy
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,763 Mod ✭✭✭✭ToxicPaddy


    maybe a proxy server or a firewall?


  • #3
    Ruu_Old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36,634 ✭✭✭✭Ruu_Old


    Pimp it! :) Would it be worth getting any more RAM for it?


  • #4
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,822 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    Hmm... I could get 128mb SD-RAM (bringing up to 256) for €20 from Crucial, but what would I do with it after that?


  • #5
    TempestSabre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,142 ✭✭✭TempestSabre


    ToxicPaddy wrote:
    maybe a proxy server or a firewall?

    I don't see the point, a router with a firewall built in will be smaller and more convenient.

    Give it to a charity.


  • #6
    itdude
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭itdude


    :eek: Exactly......bin it.....dont waste any more time with it.....in fact drop it from a great height and see if it bounces......


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  • #7
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    use it for folding, or some other distributed computing method......


    * points at yoke under my location *


  • #8
    JackKelly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,225 ✭✭✭JackKelly


    Make a linux web server. It's suprisingly easy. You can get an Ubuntu distribution that works pretty much straight out of the box and includes mysql php and apache2. Everything you need from you're computer (documents/photos) can be reached anywhere in the world.

    When it's all set up, just chuck it in a press or somewhere out of the way and you can just ssh into it when you need to.

    There's always a use for a old computer.


  • #9
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,822 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    Linux web server sounds like a good idea; plus my lil' sis has a few sites so it may help her. I'll have to get an ethernet card first though. Would you recommend upgrading the RAM still, or leave as is?


  • #10
    BigEejit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,739 ✭✭✭BigEejit


    K.O.Kiki wrote:
    Linux web server sounds like a good idea; plus my lil' sis has a few sites so it may help her. I'll have to get an ethernet card first though. Would you recommend upgrading the RAM still, or leave as is?
    leave it as is, if its creaking when its up and running then do a upgrade

    I use win xp on a laptop (celeron 400 I think, with 512 MB and 40GB hd ... wireless card for connectivity) and use a combined web/email server ... AVG antivirus and zonealarm for protection ... runs a virus scan daily and never had a problem with it ....doesnt get hammered though ... visitor numbers on the site are about 10 a week :P and the cooling fan only comes on when the antivirus scan is in progress ... tried linux before and it was torture


  • #11
    cathymcl2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 210 ✭✭cathymcl2


    Take a look on www.old-computers.com.
    I sold an Amstrad on here.
    You never know, some collector may buy it from you.


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  • #12
    hobie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,338 ✭✭✭hobie


    Put it on a higher shelf in your PC room and who knows ...if your new PC ever goes down you could always use the old one on dial-up to ask BOARDS.ie. for help .... :rolleyes:


    ivd1k9.jpg


  • #13
    Bard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,309 ✭✭✭✭Bard


    Give it to a school, or bring it to your local Recycling depot.


  • #14
    Puddles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56 ✭✭Puddles


    Use it as a jukebox. 40gb will store plenty of music. Good for a sesh! Convert all music files to MP3 first. You wouldn't need to upgrade the RAM for this. You can get WINAMP as a free download which will suit your requirements.


  • #15
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,581 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    anti wrote:
    use it for folding, or some other distributed computing method......
    Not really worth doing the electricity would cost too much compared to the tiny processing power. ( you would need cooling on a room with enough machines like that in it to match ONE modern hyperthreaded processor) - similiar argument on using it as a firewall/router, fine if you don't use it 24/7 or it's really lower power ( I had a 486 with no HDD, - they don't even need heat sinks on the processor )
    Bard wrote:
    Give it to a school, or bring it to your local Recycling depot.
    Schools won't take PII's these days, higher PIII's maybe.
    Recycling

    or try Puppylinux on it


  • #16
    thebman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,012 ✭✭✭✭thebman


    Install Ubuntu server on it and start to learn some linux networking and administration IMO.

    It'll be valuable later to know Linux. Some other distributions maybe of greater benefit like SuSe or Red Hat/Fedora but Ubuntu is a good starter distro.

    Ubuntu has different versions with different User Interfaces on each so you can get Kbuntu for KDE interface etc... Go for the one with least memory usage which is probably Xfce I think it is called. There are links in their forums and some on the main site.


  • #17
    rogue-entity
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,664 ✭✭✭rogue-entity


    Use it as a file server. Just install debian linux from the Net Install CD, and once finished, use apt-get install samba to install the Samba File server. You can share volumes with passwords per share. Handy place to dump all your MP3's and other documents and copies of your installation files too.


  • #18
    shanethemofo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,514 ✭✭✭shanethemofo


    paper weight :)


  • #19
    mp3guy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,977 ✭✭✭mp3guy


    http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/dsl-n/ would be the best bet for linux


  • #20
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,581 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    mp3guy wrote:
    http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/dsl-n/ would be the best bet for linux
    puppylinux is bit like windows 95/98 in appearance


  • #21
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,822 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    shanethemofo wrote:
    paper weight :)
    Well the case is pretty big -- I don't think I could actualy fit it on my desk! :p

    Anyway, my friend has a 700Mhz PIII, so I'll see if I can get an older 2Gb drive to work w/my old machine, and use that as a Smoothwall machine; then donate the 40Gb drive to my friend -- for Linux ;)


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