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Computer Made From Spares... Uses?

Z

Zero1

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Messages
324
Before you all suggest folding!:
This is mostly the same computer I bought 3 - 4 years ago, except I've added RAM and bits during its life time

AMD Duron M3 "Spitfire" 750MHz (7.5x100) @ 900 MHz (7.5x120)
320 MB SDRAM
10.2 GB Samsung SV1021H, 5400RPM (May actually use a 120GB WD Cav from my current system)
24x 10x 40x CD-ReWriter
GeForce4 MX420 PCI 64MB 250MHz Clock 333Mhz Memory overclocked to 380MHz Clock 490MHz Memory
C-Media Sound Card CMI8738/C3DX PCI (on board)
28" Panasonic Widescreen TX-28DK1 (TV) or 15" Relisys TE555
350 W Aopen PSU, or a 550W Antec Tru power (may overheat, fans broken)

As for OS, I can go Redhat 9, Mandrake 9.2, Windows ME, Windows XP or even Windows 3.11 :)

I may install 3.11 to see what happens, it will be interesting to see load times on a fast (in comparison to what was around at the time) machine.

This will really be an experimental box, help me be creative, but not (overly) destructive :D
 
well if you have a good connexion you can always turn it into a web/app server maybe even earn some $$$$..
 
With older computers I usually go for making them into different kinds of servers depending on their specs. Some different types of servers:

Web
File Sharing
Music
LAN Party Games
Printer Sharing
Firewall/Router/Switch
Backup Storage

Some other things you can make out of it:

Personal Video Recorder (Like TiVo)
Run a Digital Picture Frame
Install multiple OSs and test newly developed software in different environments
Dial-Up Gateway - if you have a spare phone line you can have the computer answer then give you access to broadband (if you have it) from a location outside your house.

There are just so many things (most I can't think of ;))! I know that not all of these apply to your system, I was just throwing them out there for ideas.
 
Thanks! I was thinking test machine for beta software and so on and/ore personal web server.

If I were to go down the personal web server path, what software would I need?

I assume Linux would be the best bet, but are there any programs that would let me webserve from Windows?
 
It again depends on what you want to serve. If it is just a web server then you can use Apache:

http://www.apache.org/

Which runs on Linux and Windows. What web languages do you know? I use PHP with a MySQL database. You can get MySQL here:

http://www.mysql.com/

and PHP here:

http://www.php.net

But there are a ton of software apps out there that can facilitate a web server. I don't reccomend using IIS by Microsoft due to the number of worms that have been made to target that platform, but that's just my personal opinion. I'd go with a BSD OS with Apache, PHP, and MySQL personally.
 
I ran into this 'problem' recently too. If I'm not careful, I'll put together another machine and then I'll REALLY be in trouble :).

My spare system is:

-1.4ghz Athlon XP cpu
-256 mb for ram
-80gb 7200rpm WD for storage
-2x CD-ROM (that's not a typo)
-integrated SiS 740 chipset for motherboard
-GeForce 5600FX (for better video)
-SB-Live (for better sound)
-3com 3c509x (for better/more networking)

For this system, I've decided that I'm going to dual boot.

One partition will be windows xp, setup as a video and music media center hooked up to my TV, with file sharing so I can easily add/remove media. I MAY put an Audigy in that system instead of the Live, so that I can network it with my main PC using firewire, to make transfering audio/video files much easier. That way it'd also basically double as another external hard drive.

It'll also double as another gaming computer for when I have more people over than usual (already have two gaming computers and an x-box in this room).

The other partition will be a linux distribution, probably gentoo. While I have always respected linux for servers, I honestly don't like the operating system for use in desktop applications. I figure I'll basically set the linux partition up to do the same damned thing as the windows partition, just as an exercise in patience when dealing with linux.

I'd set it up as a server, but I just don't need any more when it comes to webserving :).
 
learn how to use linux on it (unless you already know how)

redhat 9 is a good way to go

webserver is super easy to run, other stuff such as dns/mail server r a bit more tricky

or ya, use it as a firewall/router type thing with linux
 
part it out and sell it on the for sale forums :) and give me the cdrw since i came up with the idea :) :) :)

-p00n4g3 p0w3r
 
Originally posted by Ch1m3r4
FOLD
Click to expand...
he already stated before you people suggest folding

but since he already started saying it, i might as well

FOLDING
 
Since no one has suggested this, you could always let it collect dust ;) That's what my old comps do best :D
 
i turned an old machine into a unix programming station. see sig for specs... since the machine is made up of different parts, hence the name *ghettofabulous!
 
Linux and load everything you got on it.

Apache+MySQL+PHP
mIRC
Game Server if you wish.
Firewall

And if you really feel like it buy a 160bg HDD and host everything you ever wanted on the web (and give out space to other [H]ard members! :D )
 
Yes be careful. Whatever you do find a use for it quickly as you may soon have another PC then you will have still more uses to find. I have a XP2500, an XP1700, and sadly a P3 500. I have em all networked throughout my tiny appt. I also have a laptop (XP1800). Good thing I have four computers so I don't have to walk very far to log on. I almost thought about putting one in the bathroom but better hold off on that for a while. At one point I had a computer in my car with the wireless connection so I could transfer new MP3's to the system and leach of random strangers with unprotected wi-fi networks. This didn't work out so well in the long run and now it sits by my bed (overpowered alarm clock). I have the XP1700 set up with the TV. I would set up a Tivo function but I have entirely too many computers to be watching TV.
 
Originally posted by ChingChang
Since no one has suggested this, you could always let it collect dust ;) That's what my old comps do best :D
Click to expand...
lol, same here... i got like 5 airpurifiers running windows xp...lol
 
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