Re-Use the old CPUs/systems, or get rid of them?

[PandaBear]

If you don't play games and run older software / os, you can still use them. I'm still running an XP 1600+ and 1GB ram.

 

[Vic Vega]

There was a time I kept this old stuff around. Not anymore, not enough time or space to fool with and I just got tired of it. These days I have a single desktop on the house (my workstation) and my wife's notebook... that's it. And I like it that way.

 

[nyker96]

you can still make them into linux boxes for serving files etc. if you got the case, you can buy some SATA controllers and gigabyte card and make one into a linux file server. Or, you can make that Athlon into say a firewall running linux. When you use linux the old stuff will still have many uses.

 

[StinkyPinky]

I've got my old Q6600/mobo/8gb ram ram sitting in a closet. Plus a decent PSU and a couple of 500GB hard drives and an old 8800GT. I should really buy a case and fire it up.

Problem is we already have three pcs (my rig, my wifes, and a laptop) so there's not much use for it.

Actually I should buy a case and sell it.

 

[StrangerGuy]

The main problem with old parts is mobos tend go bad a long time before the CPU does. My Asrock dualsata2 939 board still works fine but the USB 2.0 mode is already a goner.

 

[Drsignguy]

This is a good question, hmmmmm. What to do?

I to have fond memories on some of my past rigs but the time has come to part with. As on how? I couldn't tell ya. I am now pondering............

 

[Jimmah]

MAME cabinet

http://mamedev.org/

 

[tweakboy]

Wow that P2 is worth 1000 dollars selling as a antique.

Or , do folding on that machine and build a new maching for use. gg and gl

 

[Zapper48]

Whenever I upgrade I use my old parts to upgrade the wife's machine or my kids.
Wife's current machine is my old? Q9550 and she likes it. Jr is using my old E8400 and games run just fine for him. When the parts get all passed down I build machines to give away to the kids friends if they don't have one.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I've got my old Q6600/mobo/8gb ram ram sitting in a closet. Plus a decent PSU and a couple of 500GB hard drives and an old 8800GT. I should really buy a case and fire it up.

Sell the parts. The CPU/mobo/RAM will easy fetch you ~$230 in FS/FT.

 

[tortillasoup]

I think the problem people have with using these systems as servers and whatnot is that none of the people here know how to take advantage of their power saving features. A lot of bios from 1996+ have the ability to "wake on lan" which is a crucial feature if you want a file server to only run when you're using it. If you guys could keep these older computers in standby mode when not in use, then you might find them not cost as much to run as you'd think.

 

[Seero]

I'm moving to 1155 today. I'm planning to use my current one as a media server that wakes up on LAN and sleep otherwise. I'll plug all HDD into that PC and keep only SSDs to the ones I am using. The problem is I don't have an extra OS, PSU and case for it.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

God I feel old reading this. I still have SIPPs in a box somewhere along with a motherboard to accomidate them.

 

[BoomerD]

I have a Sony Vaio PC that has a Pentium 200 CPU. (With MMX!)
IIRC, with a Sony Vaio Trinitron multimedia monitor, this cost about $2500 in 1997.
It came stock with an ATi All-in-One 2 Mb video card...and I splurged...bought the brand new VoodooII 8 Mb add-on card when it came out...
My wife was less than enthusiastic about that..."$250 for a video card? Are you f*cking crazy?"
So, several builds later, the Vaio still sits in a closet...collecting dust.

I suppose that the only thing to do with it all is to haul it to the e-recycler...

 

[Soundmanred]

I sell stuff before it becomes obsolete (or not worth the time selling).
I used to hold onto stuff until it became worthless I just ended up tossing it. I don't play the "I'll find a use for it someday" game anymore.
I have two 1155 systems and that's all I need, no reason to keep my old stuff anymore. (Sold my IP35e/E6750/4GB system last weeek for over $200 on CL)