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polarbear20000 04-22-2007 10:58 PM

Suggestions on new use for old computer?
 
I'm opening up for suggestions. I have an old and faithful homebuilt computer with an AMD 350 processor, 10 GB harddrive and 64 MB RAM. I'm not in the mood to donate it to anyone, but want to put it to use in some capacity. I'm thinking of using it as a music server, but can't decide if I want to use it for that or maybe something else. So, as a hypothetical question, what would you (singular or group) use a computer for with the following specs?

AMD K6/2 350 MHz processor
10 GB hard disk
64 MB memory
10/100 networking
Sound Blaster Live!
32 MB Radeon video card
CDROM (two here)

Thanks!;)

Hern_28 04-22-2007 11:07 PM

not sure
 
using a similar system as a firewall.

dasy2k1 04-23-2007 03:33 AM

i use3 a simaliar (slighjt less spec) system as a firewall too, using Ipcop

Hendronicus 04-23-2007 03:47 AM

Turn it into a firewall and then put all your music on it and use it for that too. :) I mean you don't really need 10 Gigs for a firewall. Exactly what kind of music server? LAMP style maybe?

rocket357 04-23-2007 03:49 AM

If you had a bit more storage in that machine, (and the load wouldn't be excessive), I'd suggest using it as a storage server (Samba, whatever...). Given the specs, however, I'd have to agree with the last three posts and advise using it as a firewall.

I've used IpCop before, it's quite nice. You can track ALL kinds of connection information and IpCop has a bunch of addons to extend the functionality.

IsaacKuo 04-23-2007 10:14 AM

I think it'd be a waste to use such a capable computer as a mere firewall. At 350mhz, it's not quite fast enough to play videos smoothly, but it would make a slick diskless X-terminal.

I'd either turn it into a diskless X terminal or a diskless thick client. I don't know how hot K6 processors ran, but it should be possible to run the computer fanless or nearly fanless. My preference is to remove all fans except for the PSU fan--which I silence by undervolting to 5v (this involves opening up the PSU and rewiring the fan). The result is a silent diskless computer.

A diskless thick client is a normal Linux workstation which just happens to boot off the network and has / mounted via nfs. The performance is actually rather good using 100mbit ethernet. Since all the applications simply run locally like any normal workstation, you don't have to do anything special to use the Soundblaster or the Radeon's 3d acceleration.

However, it's going to obviously be limited by the 64megs of RAM. Needless to say, a heavy desktop environment like GNOME or KDE is out of the question. A lightweight window manager like IceWM or fluxbox will be just fine.

In contrast, an X terminal is a thin client which runs the applications on the server. You can use a heavyweight desktop environment like GNOME or KDE, and the applications will run lightning fast. But using the Soundblaster and the Radeon's 3d capabilities require more effort.

Personally, I'd set it up to boot up both ways--it gives me twice the stuff to play with.

alred 04-23-2007 01:37 PM

try 96 mb or something like that ...


//also depending on how indulging you are with your sabayon though ...


.

Chargh 04-23-2007 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarbear20000
I'm opening up for suggestions. I have an old and faithful homebuilt computer with an AMD 350 processor, 10 GB harddrive and 64 MB RAM. I'm not in the mood to donate it to anyone, but want to put it to use in some capacity. I'm thinking of using it as a music server, but can't decide if I want to use it for that or maybe something else. So, as a hypothetical question, what would you (singular or group) use a computer for with the following specs?

AMD K6/2 350 MHz processor
10 GB hard disk
64 MB memory
10/100 networking
Sound Blaster Live!
32 MB Radeon video card
CDROM (two here)

Thanks!;)

I dont think this would be your Computers best use but my brother turned his old computer into a thing to play DOS games ;)

polarbear20000 04-23-2007 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alred
try 96 mb or something like that ...


//also depending on how indulging you are with your sabayon though ...

I'm seriously thinking about maxing the memory out to the motherboard's 3 GB (and then on my bigger computer motherboard - 2 TB - but I'm not discussing that one) but one of the local computer store owners was telling me that he can't get PC100/133 memory anymore. I'm sure I could scratch up some somewhere, even if he was pulling my leg. About Sabayon, maybe I should have been a bit more clear: on the little computer, Sabayon is not installed; currently it is Slackware only. Sabayon and Slackware are both installed on the bigger computer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaacKuo
I don't know how hot K6 processors ran


This K6 processor never ran hotter than 118 degrees fahrenheit with a full load, no burps and Windows XP initially installed with Linux later. It's got a very good cooler on it. Apparently when I put it together, I must have gotten some good quality parts or got very lucky.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Chargh
dont think this would be your Computers best use but my brother turned his old computer into a thing to play DOS games

Funny you should mention that - that's what I did with it, until I got bored with playing DOS games. :D


So far, a few good ideas that I had not considered. If anyone else has a good idea, please weigh in.

IsaacKuo 04-24-2007 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarbear20000
I'm seriously thinking about maxing the memory out to the motherboard's 3 GB (and then on my bigger computer motherboard - 2 TB - but I'm not discussing that one) but one of the local computer store owners was telling me that he can't get PC100/133 memory anymore. I'm sure I could scratch up some somewhere, even if he was pulling my leg.

You can get cheap 168pin SDRAM at Compuvest.com, but anything bigger than 256megs is going to cost you! Make sure you get the right kind of memory, of course (registered vs non-registered). Assuming your computer currently has one 64meg stick of RAM, I'd buy two more 64meg sticks to bump it up to a comfy 192megs of RAM. You don't save a significant amount of money with 32meg sticks, and you don't get any much extra capability with more than a total of 192megs.

Quote:

This K6 processor never ran hotter than 118 degrees fahrenheit with a full load, no burps and Windows XP initially installed with Linux later. It's got a very good cooler on it.
Ah, but how cool does it run if you remove the CPU fan? The CPU fan is typically one of the noisiest components in a computer. I've been able to remove the fans on P2's and P3's up to an 800mhz P3, even with just the stock coolers. I don't have any old AMD processors (nothing older than Socket 754).

polarbear20000 04-24-2007 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaacKuo
You can get cheap 168pin SDRAM at Compuvest.com, but anything bigger than 256megs is going to cost you! Make sure you get the right kind of memory, of course (registered vs non-registered). Assuming your computer currently has one 64meg stick of RAM, I'd buy two more 64meg sticks to bump it up to a comfy 192megs of RAM. You don't save a significant amount of money with 32meg sticks, and you don't get any much extra capability with more than a total of 192megs.

Good idea, and thank you for the suggestion. I will look into that one soon.

Quote:

Ah, but how cool does it run if you remove the CPU fan? The CPU fan is typically one of the noisiest components in a computer. I've been able to remove the fans on P2's and P3's up to an 800mhz P3, even with just the stock coolers. I don't have any old AMD processors (nothing older than Socket 754).
Hmm... don't know. I've never seen any reason to find out. The CPU probably doesn't run exceedingly hot - but it isn't in my nature to assume something where my hardware is concerned. I will have to test it and see, but I'm conservative enough to want that factor of cooling available. I'm willing to try it without, just to see if I can do it.

Now, I don't know if age changes this next observation, but I do remember when I first built this computer and noticed that the chip cooler was practically silent compared to the PSU fan. I will have to turn it on and do some "research."

Vegetarian Smoker 04-25-2007 03:21 AM

I'd bump it up to 256MB RAM to be safe (more is better than less). Do away with swap. I never use swap. I either run fewer programs or buy more RAM.

I don't know if you have more than one NIC, but if not, add a Gigabit NIC. Use the Gigabit NIC for the inside, and the 100MBit for the Internet.

Then do the firewall and router thing.


Hopefully, your ISP doesn't require you to "register" your MAC. Mine currently does (I'll be switching soon), and you have to go to a website that Lynx doesn't appear to support. But, if so I think you can just spoof the MAC.

dasy2k1 04-25-2007 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vegetarian Smoker
Hopefully, your ISP doesn't require you to "register" your MAC. Mine currently does (I'll be switching soon), and you have to go to a website that Lynx doesn't appear to support. But, if so I think you can just spoof the MAC.

thats what you can use a live cd for,

then use firefox to register the mac adress.

what do you do if you want to use a "black box" type hardware router/ wireless acsess point

how do you register the mac adress of that?

Vegetarian Smoker 04-25-2007 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dasy2k1
thats what you can use a live cd for,

then use firefox to register the mac adress.

what do you do if you want to use a "black box" type hardware router/ wireless acsess point

how do you register the mac adress of that?

Well, the ISP tells you to hook it up in the intended "final configuration," meaning how you intend things to work ultimately. Like:

1) Connect PC to router.
2) Connect router to "modem." (not really a modem, but you know what I mean)
3) Connect to the special website provided by the ISP to register the MAC.
4) Voila!

However, I couldn't make that work, and I don't like to do that. I like to ensure the connection works before I daisy chain the router, switches, etc. together. So I did:

1) Connect PC to "modem."
2) Go to special website.
3) Take note of the MAC address of the NIC I used. (that's connected to the "modem").
4) Configure router to spoof the MAC with the same as that of the PC.
5) Set things up.

No conflict since the WAN is "outside" while the LAN (and original MAC) is "inside."


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