Fun things to do with computers sitting around

rusek

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
282
So, I have a few extra computers sitting around not doing anything really at the moment except for folding@home for team33...

My question is, what other fun/useful things can I do to put them to work...

Here are the computers

My Main PC:
3.2 P4 HT
512mb DDR3200
Geforce FX 5200
80Gb 7200 RPM Drives


Other PC's:
1. 1.3Ghz Duron
512 PC133
40Gb 7200 RPM HD
8mb Vid Card

2. 500 MHZ PIII
512 mb PC133
20Gb HD 5200rpm
Adaptec SCSI Controller
5GB Seagte SCSI Drive
2 Older 9 GB iBM SCSI Drives
Removable HD Cage
Onboard Graphics

450 Mhz PIII
184Mb PC133
8GB HD
Onboard Graphics

533 MHZ K6-2
184 MB PC133
8GB HD
(Not yet running-Up by next week)

500 Mhz K6-2
128MB PC133
~4GB HD
(Not yet running-Up by next week)

Other various 433-533 K6( and a 700mhz Celeron) machines depending on number of parts left over

PII Laptop 400ish Mhz
256 mb PC133
10 Gb 4200RPM HD

My network gear includes a 4000/384 Cable Internet Connection from Comcast into a SMC Wireless NAT Firewall and Router. This has 4 output ports, one to my main computer, one to my Xbox, one to my 12 Hub, and 1 to what I would like to use as a server.

I will probably set up the a server for my music and such on the computer with SCSI array, but I still have all these other PC's just sitting there folding.

What else can I do with them?
 
install every linux distro that exists? :p

Setup a game server...setup a webserver...setup a mail server....sell them and buy better parts....send them to me..... :D
 
Setup a protein number crunching farm to help those dying of cancer and other diseases?
 
ooo, ooo, melt down all the metal parts and then smelt together a life size model of Han Solo frozen in carbonite. Then put it in your front yard to attract...... coool people.
 
IceWind said:
Setup a protein number crunching farm to help those dying of cancer and other diseases?


They do, but in addition to that I want to do something else with them.
 
rusek said:
They do, but in addition to that I want to do something else with them.

Do what I do at work, throw and smash them, run them over with the bulldozer or blow them up. *shrug*
 
I use the laptop almost as much as my main system, probably more.

Im not going to waste these computers that still work, that'd be dumb
 
i had a bunch of 400-500mhz corporate level compaq's laying around, so i took an extra NIC and made one an IPcop firewall.

veryy nice.
 
my honest opinion - everything under 1Ghz, sell and use the money to rack-ize the rest...
 
IceWind said:
You wouldn't get much for those machines.

You could get about a buck fifty apiece if you sold em locally and offered to warranty 'em (onsite). Lots of people want a low-maintaintance web-browsing/office machine without alot of power.
 
Linux server would be a good thing to do with them, cause i wish i had some extra comps like those so i could have main linux box :D
 
Find an elementary school or daycare and donate them. Charitable tax write-off, 500 bucks per system.

Just make sure they leave them on at closing time so they can fold after hours!
 
omega-x said:
where'd you get a value of 500 at?
they cant be worth more than 40-60.

When you write it off, you can determine a value with the charity. As long as the IRS doesnt audit you, it's alright.
 
dariob said:
When you write it off, you can determine a value with the charity. As long as the IRS doesnt audit you, it's alright.


Few year back I donated 8 Macintosh systems to my youngest's daycare. Don't remember the model number, I think they were IICs. They were headed for the boneyards.

Claimed 300 bucks a system on taxes. Since you can only claim up to a certain total dollar value, I believe it was 2000 back then, it put me well over the "safety" level in case of an audit (which won't happen just because of charity donations anyways).

[EDIT] just looked on ebay, found pictures. They were IIc units.
 
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