What to do with old computer?

[Thieflock]

I found a computer on the side of the road. It is probably 15-20 years old. It is able to boot up but I can't do anything with it until the AT/(PS/2) converter comes in the mail (like I said it is old). Anyway I wanted some feedback as to some good idea of what I can do with it. Back-up server, firewall or jukebox where a couple things I thought of. Obviously I can't do much with it, given its ancient hardware, but any ideas?

[SunnyRabbiera]

well a computer over 10 years old could probably run a linux like damnsmall or puppy if you are very lucky.
Did it at least come with a OS?
If it had windows 95 on her she might still be in good shape, but if she has windows 3.1 ooh boy.

[FuturePilot]

This is pretty interesting. You might find a good idea in here.
http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2007/09/14/things-to-do-with-an-old-computer/

:)

[Mateo]

I guess firewall might not be a bad idea. I can't imagine getting much use out of a computer that old acting as a server.

Personally, I would chuck it. The use of electricity (which is rising in cost) probably outweights the minor benefit you might get out if it (such as the firewall idea).

[zmjjmz]

Before anyone can really say what to do with it, you'll have to post the specs.
Does it get to the BIOS?

[Thieflock]

Before anyone can really say what to do with it, you'll have to post the specs.
Does it get to the BIOS?

I am not sure you read the entire post. I do not have a keyboard with a AT connector which the motherboard needs. Hence I do not know any hardware specs.

[zmjjmz]

I understand that, but it should do a memory check before saying keyboard failure.
And on the Award Modular BIOS, it lists the proc too.

[ghindo]

Last year I got a PII box and wasn't sure what to do with it. I got help from the forums in this thread:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=614557

[mmb1]

Try putting a terminal install on, and use it to download torrents if it's powerful enough. If you become desperate, I'm pretty sure that hardware of this age will fetch a pretty good price on ebay.

[bufsabre666]

i have an old k6 300mhz ibm running linux that i use as a network firewall/moblock client

not that i need moblock cause i would never pirate anything ever

0=)

[zmjjmz]

Judging by the need of an AT compatible keyboard, I'd say that 300MHz would be like a supercomputer to this one.

[uraldinho]

It's only good for wasting your time or as a hobby.

I have an athlon 600MHz in the basement, and believe me, it's pain in the backside. The components are unreliable, it is slow, etc. The PSU is 250 watts rated + 100watts for a CRT monitor, whereas my current laptop is 25-75 watts, so there is no point of using an old computer as a server, or a compiler, or anything that might require it to crunch numbers or be on all the time. It's not economical, and it's number crunching capabilities don't even compare to newer computers.

My housemate has a 400MHz laptop as well, i tried running linux on it (I have some old red hat CDs at home), but it wasn't worth the effort. The laptop had a mind of its own.

The way I see it, after a certain point, old computers should be recycled. On average I got about 4 years of good use out of my computers, plus another year or two of not so reliable use.

[uraldinho]

Judging by the need of an AT compatible keyboard, I'd say that 300MHz would be like a supercomputer to this one.

I wouldn't bet my house on it, but I think you might be wrong. There were lots of P2 and AMD K6s with AT keyboards. I have an old AT keyboard that used to belong to an AMD K6, which incidentally was 300MHz.

[hardyn]

boat anchor? door stop? recycle the steel case for about 20c?

I have done my time with old hardware; you can ebay up a amd athlon 1800 for about 50$ now, playing with something that old is a waste of time.

[yamfox]

Well, MINIX, of course. Linus ran it on his comp back in '92, I'm sure yours could run it.

[fedex1993]

does the computer even have an ethernet port in it LOL if it doesnt have an ethernet port maybe pointless to have but if youcan install an ethernet card then it could be used but if it cant it might be bad to have lol

[+Eric]

I run smoothwall (smoothwall.org) on an old 1ghz pc..... Has some really cool "modifications" to make it a really strong firewall. Heck, it's a strong firewall out of the box.

I've run it on computers as slow as 450mhz too....

Version 3 is really cool actually.

[zmjjmz]

Well, MINIX, of course. Linus ran it on his comp back in '92, I'm sure yours could run it.

The new Minix requires 16MB or so RAM

[Compucore]

Depends on what exactly. If it is for about one or two people where your just transfering files over to the server itself it is not so bad in doing so. Or working on a document that needs to be shared between two or more people that are on the same network. I know my tax accountant wants to set up something for backing up his data on his computer as well as his wife's computer. And I am thinking of going with linux with not a fast processor on it. But enough for two workstations to back their data from their machines to the main server itself. And just back it up onto a tape back up system. and put that in a safe place as an example. It all depends on one what you want to do with it. I am going through some of my stuff here that I am going to get rid of at least one as well too since I don't really use it. Memory, hard drives and netowrking cards are always handy to have.

Or they could go with two seperate external hard drives. but even then many things can go wrong on something like that. And you know how it is with what is between the ears and the keyboard tends to go amuk with beginners.

Compucore

[yamfox]

The new Minix requires 16MB or so RAM
What about plain UNIX :)

[TheS0urce]

You could run a nice openbsd live firewall if it has a cd rom and get an old one installed or you could try running puppy linux for basic web browsing etc.


http://www.alti.at/knowhow/obsdlivecd/fw.php#eight