[achtung]

I have an old Dell PIII 450mhz with 192 MB of RAM, a 10 gig HD, and a stunning 8 MB ATI Rage 3D Pro lying around that I'd like to do something with.

I thought of the major distributed computing projects, and actually tried them in the past, but the computer gets too close to their report "deadlines" than I'd like.  Hell, it'd probably be better that the work units were sent to faster computers that could churn them up and spit them out much sooner instead of them being locked up on that old heap.

So can anyone think of anything this old computer can still be useful for?

Yes, I know UT posted a very similar thread, his just reminded me I intended to post this one at some point.

[Shade]

I tend to set them up for retro gaming, to play stuff that won't work properly on DosBox. Yours is a bit overspecced for that though - I keep a 486 DX2 for that, with a bunch of classics on it.

I also once considered setting an old machine up as a low-end webserver to host pics and maybe some downloads that didn't need a lot of bandwidth (that was a P3 actually, much like yours. Bit less RAM than yours), as I figured that if I cleaned it of everything but a linux installation and apache it would be fast enough for the task. I gave it up when I worked out how much the internet connection for it would cost me though, but I still think such a machine can handle the task.

[Nuke]

yea ive suddeny found myself with 4 computers in the house, 2 which are somewhat new, and 2 which are old/broke. too many computers not enough users. but considering that the variation of hardware and operating systems, 90% of my old games are now playable again.

[castor]

You could do what I do, stack them up in the wardrobe.. Apart from the two that are dedicated for emergency/test use.

[Flipside]

Ise used my old computer as a Network/Internet server, it's only got a 300W Power supply, so it's lot cheaper than leaving the 650W one on my new one running 24/7

[achtung]

I just remembered, this is the comp I got my OEM copy of Freespace:  Darkness Rising with that was PIII "opitmized".

I need to dig that CD up before I lose it forever.

The server ideas are nice but, my ISP, which is basically the only one here, seems to block the http protocol.  Any incoming http connections from a client outside of their network times out.  If it's from inside their network it works just fine, which is weird.  If anyone knows a way around that it would be great.

[CP5670]

I would recommend turning the system into a retro gaming rig, but the latest 0.7 version of Dosbox along with Dos32a runs practically everything perfectly. It's a remarkable improvement over the previous version.

I still keep mine around for running a handful of older Windows games that don't work on XP and listening to certain midis (I have this Yamaha software synthesizer on it that works on 98/ME only and sounds really good on most files).

Ise used my old computer as a Network/Internet server, it's only got a 300W Power supply, so it's lot cheaper than leaving the 650W one on my new one running 24/7

The power supplies only use as much power as the components actually draw, not their maximum rated load.

[achtung]

I would recommend turning the system into a retro gaming rig, but the latest 0.7 version of Dosbox along with Dos32a runs practically everything perfectly. It's a remarkable improvement over the previous version.

I still keep mine around for running a handful of older Windows games that don't work on XP and listening to certain midis (I have this Yamaha software synthesizer on it that works on 98/ME only and sounds really good on most files).

****!  I almost forgot about my Yamaha synth.  Now I can't throw the thing away.

[CP5670]

That thing is awesome. I have recorded some of the better midis on that computer as oggs, but I have too many to do them all. Many older games that use midis also sound far better on there, even if they work on my other rigs.

Does anyone know if there is a modern version of this that works on XP? I got it for free on an old motherboard CD, but would gladly pay to get it on my other systems.

[castor]

Ise used my old computer as a Network/Internet server, it's only got a 300W Power supply, so it's lot cheaper than leaving the 650W one on my new one running 24/7

The power supplies only use as much power as the components actually draw, not their maximum rated load.

Yeah, its probably cheaper to use the new one, at least if you have some power saving options enabled (cpu throttling).

[jr2]

I would recommend turning the system into a retro gaming rig, but the latest 0.7 version of Dosbox along with Dos32a runs practically everything perfectly. It's a remarkable improvement over the previous version.

I still keep mine around for running a handful of older Windows games that don't work on XP and listening to certain midis (I have this Yamaha software synthesizer on it that works on 98/ME only and sounds really good on most files).

****!  I almost forgot about my Yamaha synth.  Now I can't throw the thing away.

That thing is awesome. I have recorded some of the better midis on that computer as oggs, but I have too many to do them all. Many older games that use midis also sound far better on there, even if they work on my other rigs.

Does anyone know if there is a modern version of this that works on XP? I got it for free on an old motherboard CD, but would gladly pay to get it on my other systems.

Yes you can. 

[CP5670]

That might work, but it would be a pain to switch to it every time I just want to listen to a music piece and I doubt games would run well in it. I want a similar kind of MIDI music driver, but for XP. I'll need to see if there is anything on the Yamaha website.

[Flipside]

The power supplies only use as much power as the components actually draw, not their maximum rated load.

Well, to be honest, I also use it as a render-server, and I'm not certain the new computer would even boot with a 300W power supply, a minimum of 450W is recommended for the Graphics card alone, I know that's for under maximum stress, but still.

[achtung]

Anyone know of an affordable and good KVM switch?  Preferably one that supports USB mouse/keyboard?  I won't even be using the monitor inputs on a switch, my monitor has multiple inputs.  I'm not too worried about sound, and I doubt I'm going to find one that will get along well with my 5.1.

[jr2]

What do you mean?  Run an output from the old compy's scard to the line-in or mic in port on your 5.1 & unmute the mic or line in in the playback volume control... if you are using it, then IDK what you'll have to do.  Hmm.  Get another scard?  If you wanted.

That might work, but it would be a pain to switch to it every time I just want to listen to a music piece and I doubt games would run well in it. I want a similar kind of MIDI music driver, but for XP. I'll need to see if there is anything on the Yamaha website.

VPC supports Hibernating any OS(es) that you put on it...