What would you do with a spare PC?
 

Im going to FINALLY get around to setting up a new PC that I bought a few weeks ago (finally got the 2nd video card in). My old machine is still usable, but is to slow to use as a main computer.

So I have a decent PC and not sure what to do with it. I was thinking about turning it into a media server for pictures, movies and make an attempt to backup DVDs on it so I can watch them anywhere in the house, but doubt i will ever get past 10.

my other thought is to turn it into a network backup server. basically backing up my new PC, macbook and my gf's laptop on a scheduled basis.

I guess I could do both, but really leaning towards the backup server but have no clue where to start with software, etc.

If you're going with a media server, check out mythtv dot org.

Can't post links yet, sorry.

I use two PCs and a laptop daily. My wife also has a computer, and I have two laptops downstairs.

I have two PCs in the garage that are too slow for me to use.

What would I do with another PC? Maybe use it as a paperweight.

Stick a MagicJack into it and call it your new phone system.

I think the media server is a good idea. If that the only thing you're using it for performance shouldn't be an issue.

Just as a heads up on May 5th MS is releasing Windows 7 RC1 and you get to use it for a year for free and supposedly it has better media server functionality. So you might want to try that.

Use it to make more money?

Flog it on Craigslist

We did that with an old PC. My hubby scored an HD capture card, we put Ubuntu on it, Mythtv, and we now have a home brew tivo. It works great and with the DVD burner its even better. :thumbsup

give it to a relative that doesn't have a computer

Throw it out of the window :winkwink:

film it , turn it into an avatar.... would be nice on

<---- there :321GFY

Stick it in the closet and let it rot because it'd require at least 5 hours of work to make it functional - and then it'd still be worth about $50.

Store your music on it and use it as a office jukebox

I use my old one as a file server and back up all my working files to it. If my new one crashes - I can sit down on the old one and go to work.

I guess no one else thought about a donation :)

Run SETI@Home?

don't do anything if u are stupid

That's my motto

thanks for the link to myth tv! Im going to check it out since i have the same question and want a good media center pc.

I just replaced 3 renderfarm computers with a single 8 core machine. I'll probably sell them on Craigslist.

I already own more computers than I use, the unused ones are just resting in peace in a dark shelf.

Use it for storage? Why? The internal hard drives are no bigger than 120gigs or so, I have a few external hard drives totaling in over 4T's of storage space for all personal and some business needs.

MAME box, no doubt.

have a couple of them, rendering machines etc

Similiar to us. The house and office is littered with obsolete PC systems - amongst the latest stuff.

Thanks, Ill definitely check that out. i was really hoping not to have to go out and buy Win Media Server :thumbsup

heres the problem with this. no matter who i give it to there will be some kind of problem and they will bitch and moan then come back to me for me to fix it. i gave my ex's mom an old laptop that i had and she NEVER stopped complaining about problems. the thing was like 5 years old and she expected it to run like a brand new gaming laptop. not going through that mess again

im looking around to do a mix between media server and file server backup. i had 1tb of HDDs which is more than i would ever probably need for media. ive had laptops and pcs crash and die before and is a pain to get everything going again. these days, id rather be safe than sorry

i dont know where you live, but here the people at the donation place are thieves. a while ago my dad and i dropped off some stuff that we had laying around from college in his basement. we got to the Salvation army and the guy was separating the stuff into piles, not really sure what he was doing until his friend walked over and he said "bring my car up and we'll put this in it."

i stopped the kid and said we were donating it, not giving it to him and he said "oh, dont worry you still get the tax credit, ill just sign the paper and you can put down whatever you want"

give it to my kids

I have three spare ones, and two more that stopped working and I'm too lazy to even check what's wrong with them

First thing i thought of was donation

http://www.computerswithcauses.org/

If you guys have old computers you should donate them. Here in San Diego there is a company that takes them, puts new HD in them and gives them to families or kids that can't afford a computer. Just last year Cox Cable partnered with them to give them low cost or no cost internet. They also work with schools in swapping out old comkputers. I donated a bunch of mine there. Better then trashing it or selling it on CL. Plus we all can use more tax deductions. See if a program like that exisit in your area.