Recommendations for using an old PC that isn't old.

[bigshooter1974]

I just got finished building myself a new PC and I would like some suggestions what to do with the old one. Here are the parts I have to work with:

AMD x6 1055
Gigabyte AM3+mobo
8G G-skill DDR3
CM Cosmo chassis
600w OCZ p/s
Misc. hard drives.

I have looked at building a media server, etc. but really it all seems like a little overkill to me. I already have a home server running a low power quad core AMD cpu so really, this is just for something to do. Does anyone have any suggestions of how I might make use of this hardware? I am not opposed to spending money but I'd like to have some sort of plan before I do. I will need a GPU to start as this board does not have onboard graphics.

[chubaka]

i cant think of anything besides building it as a lan box or secondary computer.
Just put it up for sale and if you get a good deal on the majority of the components, sell it.

[bonanza2000]

Donate it to a kid.

If you have kids, one of them probably knows a kid that is disadvantaged in the $ department. If you don't, ask around. I gave away my office computers and they weren't gaming computers but were good enough for word processing and connecting to the internet. The kids who got them seemed appreciative.

old computers aren't worth much when you can buy a new one for cheap.

[3.0charlie]

If you decide to keep it, you could do what I did over the week-end (with some help, I must state): build a pfsense / openfiler firewall box based on ESXi. Speed, protection and great data backup.

[MARSTG]

or you could part it and sell it. I am pretty sure someone will grab that X6 in no time

[BigPhatPaulie]

Or that OG cosmos chassis

[Ravenor]

Use it for a media box/movie storage to play .Mkv's on your TV

[moocow]

You make me feel so sad because I'm about to convert my 1055T into a gaming machine and replace my Q6600. I would say sell it to someone that need a workstation rig. The X6 is too power hungry to be a pure media box.

[ckgeorge]

give it to a homeless person so they can game in a McDonalds xD

[bigshooter1974]

Thanks for the replies folks. As you have figured out its a struggle to determine what to do with such hardware. My kids are far too young to make use of it (2 and 6). The openfiler idea is interesting. As is the lanbox. I would like to think its a decent platform for starting a game server, but really how many games run on stand alone servers these days? Something to look into too I guess. If anyone comes up with anything else I'd love to hear it.