Repurposing Old Hardware vs. Selling Old Hardware?

[decrescendo]

I built a Windows XP machine back in 2006 out of the following components. Now that I built a newer Windows 7 machine in June of 2011, I'm trying to determine what I can do or should do with the old hardware from the first build.

Is there any type of market for used components of the following? I'm trying to determine whether I should re-build the machine for some yet to be determined purpose or try to sell/give away the old hardware.

Case:
Antec LifeStyle Sonata II ATX Mid-Tower; purchased on 2006-08-17 for $89.99
Motherboard:
ASUS M2N-E NF570 Ultra AM2 ATX; purchased on 2006-08-15 for $94.99
CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Dual-Core 2.2GHz AM2; purchased on 2006-08-15 for $180.00
GPU:
EVGA GeForce 7600GT 256-P2-N554-AX 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16; purchased on 2006-08-15 for $159.99
Memory:
Corsair XMS2 Twin2X1024A-6400 2x512MB DDR2; purchased on 2006-08-15 for $110.00
Corsair XMS2 Twin2X2048-6400C3 2x1GB DDR2; purchased on 2007-09-11 for $94.49
OS HD:
Seagate ST3320620AS 320GB 7200RPM 3Gb/s 16MB; purchased on 2006-08-08 for $94.99
Data HD:
Seagate ST3320620AS 320GB 7200RPM 3Gb/s 16MB; purchased on 2006-08-08 for $94.99
Optical Drive:
NEC ND-3550A DVD-/+RW; purchased on 2006-08-27 for $29.99

I'm not really sure how the AM2 socket has held up over time.

Also, can I add DDR2 memory to my machine that is now running 4GB of DDR3 RAM?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

it should make a good HTPC, Linux box, or other similar plaything.

If you're running win XP on this, you really have no need to upgrade it from its current 3 GB -- XP can't address beyond 3.5GB anyway.

 

[decrescendo]

True but I'm debating adding this old DDR2 RAM to my new Windows 7 machine with DDR3 RAM. I haven't researched whether the RAM sticks will fit or be compatiable with my new Z68/Sandy Bridge setup, though.

If I reused this hardware, I'd probably end up throwing Windows 7 on, too. Unfortunately, my 2011 Windows 7 build is meant to function as a sort of jack-of-all-trades headless media server/HTPC so turning this 2006-era hardware into an HTPC would be sort of overkill.

 

[geekapproved]

So your planning on running ddr2 and ddr3 on your new motherboard? And you build computers? That's scarey.

LOL

 

[geraldfryjr]

I would save it and use it for a backup.
I have several older machines laying around and you never know when one is gonna quit on you or get a virus and then your stuck.
I have had this happen many times.

I have an old 993Mhz P3 that I use just for my phone system because the magic jack that I am using messes with my 24bit audio system on my main machine every time I want to watch a video when it is on,So I can either have the phone off and watch a video or have the phone on and not listen to any music.

As mentioned you can use it as an HTPC or if you are a musician you can set it up as a stand alone VST host device for effects and such.
I several old P4's and that is there only duty now and what you have is much faster than any of my p4's.

In fact I am still running on my ole' Opty 185 at 2.95 Ghz that I built back in 2006 and is about the same power and it still runs like a champ.
I run both windows and linux on this machine without any issues at all.
There are many options you can choose.

I did just build a nice machine recently using a FX6100 overclocked at 4.95 Ghz and a 6870 card but it was for my mother, So I am still running the old stuff just fine as I don't play games on my machines anyhow.

jer

 

[Motopsychojdn]

**I'm debating adding this old DDR2 RAM to my new Windows 7 machine with DDR3 RAM. I haven't researched whether the RAM sticks will fit**

Obviously, check your Mobo manual, its one or the other, not both simultaneously
But yes, theres life in that yet,
/hides sharp objects
Moto

 

[geekapproved]

**I'm debating adding this old DDR2 RAM to my new Windows 7 machine with DDR3 RAM. I haven't researched whether the RAM sticks will fit**

Obviously, check your Mobo manual, its one or the other, not both simultaneously
But yes, theres life in that yet,
/hides sharp objects
Moto

There are no z68's that use ddr2.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Hehe, can't catch you out Geek
I hadn't checked his manual but as you know yourself, mobo's that will accept both standards always stipulate its one or T'other
I should've done more work rather than posting a snappy smartfail lol
Moto

 

[HVDynamo]

Hehe, can't catch you out Geek
I hadn't checked his manual but as you know yourself, mobo's that will accept both standards always stipulate its one or T'other
I should've done more work rather than posting a snappy smartfail lol
Moto

That's true, but if you have a motherboard like that there are two sets of sockets, one for each type of RAM. However, I haven't really seen any boards that sport the option to go DDR2 or DDR3, and I believe that in part has to do with all memory controllers residing on the processors now and the processors are designed to support only one type of memory. The last time I have even seen this option is on an old Pentium 4 board that allowed either PC133 SDRAM or DDR. But that aside, the slots for DDR3 are different than DDR2, they sticks literally won't plug in.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

there were a few AM2+/AM3 mobos that took either type, in different slots (2 DDR2, 2 DDR3), but couldn't be used together

 

[decrescendo]

I would save it and use it for a backup.
I have several older machines laying around and you never know when one is gonna quit on you or get a virus and then your stuck.
I have had this happen many times.

I have an old 993Mhz P3 that I use just for my phone system because the magic jack that I am using messes with my 24bit audio system on my main machine every time I want to watch a video when it is on,So I can either have the phone off and watch a video or have the phone on and not listen to any music.

As mentioned you can use it as an HTPC or if you are a musician you can set it up as a stand alone VST host device for effects and such.
I several old P4's and that is there only duty now and what you have is much faster than any of my p4's.

In fact I am still running on my ole' Opty 185 at 2.95 Ghz that I built back in 2006 and is about the same power and it still runs like a champ.
I run both windows and linux on this machine without any issues at all.
There are many options you can choose.

I did just build a nice machine recently using a FX6100 overclocked at 4.95 Ghz and a 6870 card but it was for my mother, So I am still running the old stuff just fine as I don't play games on my machines anyhow.

jer

Good point about keeping an entire backup system lying around. Unfortunately, living in an apartment keeps my free space down to a minimum but I'll figure that out.

The motherboard MAY have a few issues but I'll work through them. The following motherboard appears to be one of the few left on Newegg that run the AM2 socket: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157226