What do you guys do with your old Computer/Hardware?

[Chronic321]

I just put together an AMD Athlon XP 2200+ based system. It works great now after a few problems, I get 11,641 3dmarks!. However, I have been thinking what am I going to do with this 2 or 3 years down the line. My old K6-3 lasted almost 4 years, however I stopped PC gaming about a 2 years after I built it. But my question is, this system seems so awesome what am I going to do with it in 4 years? Sell it? The parts may have some value but I don't think its going to be much once the NV30 and Hammer come out. Use it as a backup machine? I use my K6-3 420 MHZ as a Linux server and it works great, I use my K6-2 400 mHZ as another machine just for testing web applications, but using a 2200+ with a Geforce 4 as a personal home use server! The idea just scares me, My 19in monitor will last but I what do you guys plan to do with your current system in a few years? I don't think their will be a chip upgrade worthwhile for an Athlon XP 2200+ (Who knows, maybe the Barton core may hit 3200+).

 

[Robor]

You run distributed computing apps on them!

 

[Lucky]

do the same thing everyone else does, either sell it or run a DC project on it.

 

[murphy55d]

I'm constantly upgrading, so this system will just be a different variation of the same system in 3 years.


When I find a new part I like, i sell the old one to help pay for it. I have 2 OEM systems in my room, my 1st AST Adventure k-5 150, and my p2 350 Compaq. Those I just let my computer dumb family members use.

 

[Mavrick007]

I usually just save my junk to be used someday (*that's what I keep telling myself*). My new plan is to sell my machine in about 6 months or so just before a major change to architecture or hardware changes and then I'll get more money for my components and then be able to upgrade for less money. That way I'll always have a fast machine in my hands and not have to worry about a closet full of old computer parts. I have so much old stuff from 386's on up that it's not funny. There's faster controllers on new hard drives than my old machine.

The thing to remember is that you will lose money, but how much depends on you and what the stuff is worth to you. I'm sure you got alot of use out of your K62/K63 (I know cause I am still getting use out of my K62), but if you had sold it for something a bit faster awhile back then you could have had a faster machine or the one you just bought for just a bit more. Now if you try to sell your K62, how much do you think you will get for it? Hehe Almost hard to give it away now unless someone has never had a computer before.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Microwave it.

 

[Actaeon]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
I'm constantly upgrading, so this system will just be a different variation of the same system in 3 years.


When I find a new part I like, i sell the old one to help pay for it. I have 2 OEM systems in my room, my 1st AST Adventure k-5 150, and my p2 350 Compaq. Those I just let my computer dumb family members use.

Heh, I do the same thing, I usually just keep upgrading parts, as I don't have alot of money, eventually we (my brother and I) have enough parts where we could make a whole new rig out of it (I almost can right now, I just need an HD).

 

[DaveSimmons]

Let them gather dust because I'm too lazy to FS/FT them right now I have an Abit LX-6, Asus P2B, Delta ZX, and Abit BF6 that I'm not using for anything (though the P2B was my W2K server box until last week). Since the value of these is only $15-30 each I'm not in a big hurry to box them and cart them to the post office.

 

[Confused]

Team Anandtech Distributed Computing BEOWULF

Confused

 

[Dreadogg]

I screw them to the wall the couple bucks really is not worth my time!

 

[John P]

Hmmmmmm,

Sold an extra case. Tekram mb and Celery 400 to a friend for $50.

Gave a full tower AT case, RAM, and K6-200 to same friend.

After procrastinating for years, finally took other full tower AT case with K6-200, old 386SX and case, Pentium 60mhz and case, and various other junk to PC Recycle place (was running out of room in the garage).

The other 6 are still happily running (see my sig).

 

[McCarthy]

These threads always make me sad for some reason.

 

[spanky]

i hoard computer parts. so usually ends up in some corner of my room.

 

[Soccerman]

every upgrade I get is carefully planned, so that most (if not all) parts that get replaced go into a second (and now 3rd) computer. every time I upgrade my fast computer something trickles down to the other computers and so they almost always get an upgrade at the same time.

of course sometimes I have to buy a part for an old computer, but that's what FS/FT is for!

 

[kuk]

Humm ... good question ... I was going to ask the same thing!

Today I tore apart a P100 ... crappy all-in-one-design Compaq. Wouldn't work any more ...
Gave the memory to my cousin, who has the same computer.
Saved the 8X CD-ROM, which might still be very useful
Saved the floppy, but it has a weird design (since it fits Compaqs only)
Saved the 1.2GB hard disk ... for fun.

Now I'm trying to make the processor a keychain ... but I have no idea on how to do this, short of drilling a hole through the ceramic. Any ideas?

Kuk

 

[Boonesmi]

i just sell it in the forsale/trade forum

 

[colonelsanders]

in 4 years...hmmm
sounds like a candidate to be thrown from a moving vehicle
just an idea

 

[BFG10K]

I usually sell it to friends/co-workers.

 

[RamzaBeoulve]

The answer to this questions is such an obvious one:

Do what every right minded person would do with his or her old computer parts and juggle them on the street for money! You'll easily rake in $50, and when you're done, sell the parts!

 

[KGB1]

Eat 'em.... Well the Trident PCI card was asking for it....

I put them away in a box, never to be seen again, unless I am bored I'll dig in for a few parts. Mostly without drivers and micellanious parts I found walking the street on garbage night. But these cards always amaze me in their design and function, that is why I do not sell them nor throw em out (unless its a useless ISA Serial Controller card)

 

[vetteguy]

I either sell components/systems to people I know, or move them down to become a server or something. That's what I did with my last system at least, although that just got a major overhaul. I do have a lot of crap laying around, I'm actually trying to give someone an ATX case at work but no one wants it!!!

 

[corkyg]

I give mine away to those who need it. When I upgrade, my kids do as well, and then it all trickles down from there.

 

[galt]

I want to build a system with the parts I have lying around. I hate seeing hardware collecting dust.