Really Old Pc

Hello Hardware World. :)
I'm currently attending a Cisco A+ Hardware course at my local college.
As payment for setting up some PCs for the class to work on, I was given a really old computer.

Specs:
Pentium 100
64MB EDO RAM
1.2GB HDD
2 MB PCI video card
Soundblaster 16 soundcard
48X CD ROM
10/100 NIC
Currently running Win98 SE, but willing to change.

Bit of a dinosaur, huh? :lol:

Anyway.. I've heard of folks using similar PCs as a firewall, or just for running old DOS games.
So my question is this: If you had such a computer, what would you use it for?

Keep in mind that upgrading isn't an option, the above specs are as good as this computer is gonna get.

this piece of crap belongs in landfill

you could recycle it...for the gold inside...

then it's worthless :huh:

Put Server 2003 on it. Maybe use it as a server?

Or you could send me your sound card, i dont have one. And you NIC, I need another one

:lol: :lol: :lol:

lol have you got a boat mate , i have a great idea for it ,




use it for the anchor!!! :lol:

Smoothwall

You could strip out any unnecessary hardware and just set her up Folding 24/7...

I have a system similar to that that i built, just out of old parts, and im using it as a file server...as soon as my dad buys me a bigger hard drive for it...

Okay.. lets see what we got here...

Landfill is just a waste of a useable system. No way. :P

Boat anchor? Damn, did I ever see that one comin'. :rolleyes: :lol:

No point turning it into any kind of server... not practicable on dialup, and the tiny HDD is too small to make it a worthwhile local fileserver.

So that leaves Folding or Firewall. Thanks guys. B)

Quote:

---

[i]Originally posted by uNz@29 April 2004 - 18:22
Okay.. lets see what we got here...

Landfill is just a waste of a useable system. No way. :P

Boat anchor? Damn, did I ever see that one comin'. :rolleyes: :lol:

No point turning it into any kind of server... not practicable on dialup, and the tiny HDD is too small to make it a worthwhile local fileserver.

So that leaves Folding or Firewall. Thanks guys. B)

---

firewall is still kinda pointless with dialup :huh:

you could install linux and then learn it using that computer, which is what i am also gonna be installing onto my p100...unless you already know linux...(some distros, anyway)

:lol:
foot rest.

or host a website from it but u got 56k so theres no point just bin the piece of shit :lol:

or sell it to some guy who can only just turn a pc on :ph34r:

oh i know i know...

over clock the shit out of it and use it as a furnice during winter....just turn its back to u and feel the warmth..

ROFL

Quote:

---

Originally posted by james_bond_rulez@30 April 2004 - 00:27
oh i know i know...

over clock the shit out of it and use it as a furnice during winter....just turn its back to u and feel the warmth..

ROFL

---

:lol:


turn the pc on open up the cd drive and use it as a cup holder :lol:

I have a computer that alsmost kinda like that , has 15 GB HDD , 222 mb of ram , upgraded it to Windows Xp . I use it as a back up computer to got on the net, whenever my new one isnt working or is being fixed.

keep it and dont do anything to it


in a few years (likely 6 or 7) it will enter the Antiquities category.







wait longer and u could sell it for 3000 inflated to that years value! (round 6 or 7 grand)

if your doing a cisco course you really should try playing around with setting up a router. it is part of the course.

i would install linux and zebra on the machine. it is pretty much like a cisco router. it i can be used as a powerful firewall if you set it up right.

ibm guide

I'll buy the CD ROM and NIC if you live in the UK?

Rosco: Using dialup for now, but will be getting ADSL sometime in the next 6 months, so a firewall won't be entirely pointless... I'd like to get things set up before upgrading my connection, so its all good.
Linux is one of the ways I'd thought of going before I posted, but I wanted to see what other alternatives there were.

4play: Excellent idea and a brilliant link to boot. TYVM B)

j4y3m: Sorry mate.. I come from a land downunder. Don't really want to sell bits off anyway. I'm a habitual hoarder. :lol:

Getting dsl soon? Use it as a router/firewall. Old pc are good for that.

Yeah, that certainly seems to be the most popular option.
A mate was telling me to install NT4 on the old box and use it as a firewall, but I was thinking Linux would be better.
Smoothwall or Zebra definately look the business...

Set it up now - you should have a firewall even if you are on dial-up!!!

Smoothwall really does sound nice doesn't it. Can't say I've really looked at Zebra.

Well, I'm currently running Sygate personal FW. Surely that's enough to be reasonably secure with dialup? :huh:

Don't want to rush into this, and I have to get the old box networked to my newer system first. Learning as I go...

Sorry, thought you'd said you didn't have a firewall.

Just a thought, does the old pc have USB? If not, depending on how you will connect to broadband you will need one of:

• a USB card
• a second ethernet card
• a pci broadband card

The second ethernet card is probably the best option.

Actually no, the old box doesn't have USB.

I hadn't considered the connectivity issues yet, so thanks for bringing that caveat to light, lynx. :)
I was just concentrating on getting the two systems linked together at this stage of the game, then worry about the 'net connection afterwards.

I do have a USB card that I lent to a mate after an upgrade made it redundant. I'll see if I can snaffle it back from him.
If not, I have another buddy who works for an IT retailer who'll give me mate's rates on a cheap NIC, so no probs there.

Make a dos box, re live the good ol days :)

Is everything integrated?

Nope... I don't think system integration was invented back when this mobo was on the market. :lol:

personally, i'd shell out $20-$30 for a cheap graphics card that has TV-out, stuff the hard drive full of old arcade & 8bit/16bit console roms, and use the machine to run game emulators on a TV. :P