Suggestions on what do to with my "old" computer

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MUdrummer99

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Dec 18, 2013
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I have recently build 2 new computers. 1 is a high-end gaming PC (4790k/r9 290) and the other is a mid-range computer (4570/GTX750ti) for HTPC, Emulator, and light gaming duties in the basement home theater. My question is, what would be a fitting use for my old system? Specs are:

AMD 1100T BE
Gigabyte 990fxa-UD5 Mobo
HIS 6950 IceQ X Turbo X 2GB

While the system is about 3 years old now, it is still quite capable in 1080p gaming. I'm open to most any suggestion (up to and including selling it). This seems like overkill to turn into a media server, but I can't come up with any other ideas that would be really useful at the moment. Thanks in advance for any input.
 
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Dogsnake
Set it up as a server. Use it to hold your music, pictures and things like documents that both systems may want to share. You can even use it as a game server for in house LAN parties. Just imagine the entire family playing a death match against each other. Looser walk the dog, take the garbage out and ....rofl.
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Onus

Onus

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Jan 27, 2006
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If you are interested, you could use it for something like Folding@Home. It's overkill for the purpose, but you could turn it into a NAS if you wanted to share media among your other PCs, or run backups on it. You might use it to experiment with Linux. Perhaps you have a family member somewhere (parent on down to a niece or nephew) who might get good use out of it.
 
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Dogsnake

Dogsnake

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Oct 20, 2006
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Set it up as a server. Use it to hold your music, pictures and things like documents that both systems may want to share. You can even use it as a game server for in house LAN parties. Just imagine the entire family playing a death match against each other. Looser walk the dog, take the garbage out and ....rofl.
 
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rhapdog

rhapdog

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Jan 14, 2014
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Other suggestions here are good ones, but perhaps you are thinking of how you can get rid of it? You can always sell it as used if you'd like to recoup some of what you spent on the new systems. You could also donate to charity and get a tax write-off in the US.

If you want to donate it to a good cause, you could box it up and send it to me. What's the cause? "Cause I want it".

On a more serious note, if you do decide you don't want the hardware any longer, there are a number of schools that are in dire need of technology donations, as well as many non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations might include things like shelters for battered women, homeless shelters, churches, food pantries, etc., all in need of technology to assist them in running the organization. In the case of the shelters, it can help those less fortunate find work and be trained for that work.

Plus, you can get a tax write-off for the estimated value of the computer, if you live in the United States and get a receipt for that amount from the charity. Most charities are happy to provide you with a receipt for the write-off. Goodwill and the Salvation Army are others that can accept it as well, though they will turn around and sell it, and, not knowing what they have, will probably only make about $50 for their charity, so best to give it where they will actually utilize it.

Of course, charity always begins at home, they say, so if you have any nieces or nephews in need of a computer on which to do school work, that would be a worthwhile donation as well, just no tax write-off.

 
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MUdrummer99

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Dec 18, 2013
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Thank you all for your suggestions so far!

I thought about Folding@Home, but quite honestly, I haven't looked into it at all and know only the basic premise of it.

Donation came across my mind as well, but don't know where it would be best served. Giving to family would be preferential, but I don't really have a lot that I keep in touch with, so I don't really know what their current needs are.

I don't really need a NAS or server, my main PC holds everything and streams to the other as needed, but I have considered making a dedicated box for this. More than likely I'll do another build as a NAS later this year or next. If I decided to go this route, I would have to put some money into it, though. I currently have it housed in a HAF 932 and a crap-ton of fans. It's loud and huge. I'd probably be looking about another $200 getting it where it would be useful for this.

Linux sounds interesting, I've been thinking about putting like this together but have really never had the need for it.

Keep the ideas coming, and thanks again!
 
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