Technological innovations come so fast, especially when it comes to electronics and computers. That is why a top-of-the-line computer is often reduced to a doormat when a new and faster computer is released. Demands for faster, more efficient, and more effective computing devices has lead to a fast-paced innovation.

If you have been using computers for several years now and might have just bought a new computer to run the most recent operating system, applications, and games, you probably have one or several old computers around your home or office collecting dust. If those computers are still working, only too slowly for your needs, you can bring them back to life to perform a different purpose. Here are the top ten things you can do with your old computer.

1. Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Even if your old computer is slow, it does not need to be leading edge to become a storage device attached to your home or office network. Even a Pentium I computer can act as a NAS, as long as it has the right hardware and software. First, to make your old PC a NAS, it must have an NIC or network interface card so that you can connect it to your network. Also, it must have sufficient hard disk space to store your files. Both NICs and hard drives are very inexpensive today. You can buy each of them for just a couple of dollars. Once you have the right hardware and software, make the hard drive available to all or selected computers on the network and save your files in there, whether they are documents, software, or multimedia files.

2. Media Center

If you already have a stand-alone NAS in your home or office, then why not make it a media center PC? Store all your MP3s, video clips, and movies on that computer, connect a good set of speakers to it, and you will have a media center PC. If your old computer does not have a sound card where you can connect the speakers, you have two choices – buy an inexpensive sound card or simply use your other computer to play the multimedia files. Sound cards are very cheap and still perform quite well. If you are an audiophile and you want the best sound quality, you will have to spend a little more to buy a high-quality sound card.

3. Dedicated Gaming Server

If you are a computer gaming freak and you frequently hold LAN parties, or you have several computers at home and you want to share the fun through LAN games, make your old computer into a dedicated gaming server to make your network games run smoothly. In typical setups, where there is no dedicated gaming server, the fastest computer will usually act as a server while playing the game. Acting as a server while playing the game can cause minor to major performance degradation. With a dedicated gaming server running, all computers connect to that server without affecting performance. The majority of LAN games come with dedicated gaming server software that is quite easy to set up.

 

(And to complement your new dedicated gaming server, here is a list of the Top 10 Most Popular Online Games of 2007.)

4. Install Linux

You probably have heard of Linux, the free operating system, unless you have been in suspended animation for several decades. Linux is a free operating system and is quite a popular alternative to dominant systems like Windows or Mac. If you always wanted to try out Linux, but were afraid that it might not be what you need or expected it to be, try it out on your old computer and see if it meets your expectations. Most Linux distributions or “distros” like Ubuntu and Knoppix come with very intuitive installation programs that make installing the system a piece of cake. Download and install your preferred distro, and test it out in your spare time. Who knows: you might find it even better than the operating system you are using and make the switch.

5. Guinea Pig

Computer hardware is not as complicated as many people think. Just imagine it as a big jigsaw puzzle that runs on electricity. Computer parts are made for easy installation because most are made so they only fit in a certain slot or plug. If you really want to learn how a computer works, but you are afraid to try it on your new computer, make your old computer a guinea pig. Take it apart, examine the parts, and put it back together again. If it still powers up after your experiment, soon you can try it on a newer computer. If not, take it apart again and try to put it back. You might get lucky and get it to work. If it goes up in smoke (which is rather rare), don’t worry; after all, there is nothing to lose, since you aren’t using that computer anymore.

6. Router and/or Firewall

If you have an always-on Internet connection like cable or DSL, you should know that you are more susceptible to viruses, spyware, network intrusions, and a boatload of other threats to your data and privacy. Harden your defenses by using your old computer as a firewall that can also double as a router. All you have to do is have two NICs and the right software. You do not have to worry about buying software, because the one you will be using here is free. There are several Linux distros that are specifically coded to serve as firewalls and/or routers. Setting it up is not that difficult, and there is a lot of documentation and help on the Internet just in case you run into any problems.

7. Printer Server

Do you use two or more printers in your home or office? Use your old computer as a print server by attaching all your printers there and connecting that old computer to your network. You may need additional USB ports if the printer has a USB interface. USB PCI cards can be bought for a low price and can be easily installed. You can free a lot of space in your work area when you move your printer out of the way. Once you have the printers connected and your old computer powered up, set up the printers to be shared on the network so that when you want to print a file, you simply access that networked printer and have it print your documents.

8. Web and/or Email Server

Do you have a broadband Internet connection and have always wanted to have your own website or email server? You can make your old computer useful by making it into a web server or an email server, or both of them at once. Software is relatively easy to set up and you have two choices here – commercial and free or open source software. After setting up the server software, design a website or set up the mail server and connect it to your modem or router. There you have it: your own web server or email server.

9. Upgrade

This is only a good option if you are quite familiar with computer hardware or you have already tried making your computer a guinea pig. Your upgrade does not necessarily mean that you buy high-end parts. It just depends on what you are going to use it for, your budget, and the age of your old computer. If your computer is less than five years old, then this option can work for you. Otherwise, it would be better if you go to option 10, unless you want to spend as much money as if you were buying a new computer. Simply visit a shop selling computer parts or even browse online for parts. Make sure you are buying compatible hardware, too! Processors have sockets and RAM modules have SDRAM, DDR1 DDR2, RDRAM. Hard drives have IDE/PATA and SATA, and video cards have PCI, AGP, and PCI-Express (PCI-E). If you are replacing your motherboard, make sure the parts you will be connecting are compatible with it. With just a little research on those computer peripherals, upgrading your computer to make it usable again is both fun and fulfilling. Probably, the next time you will need to buy a computer, you will simply buy the needed parts and assemble a rig yourself.

10. Donate to Charity

If you have tried every option here, or you have tons of old computers, or you really don’t want to tinker around with things you may consider “junk,” don’t give up. Instead of dumping it in the trash, why not do the environment a favor and donate it to charity? In this method, you not only help lessen junk, but you also get to help people or organizations that badly need computers. You have many options here. You can donate it to a school, a church, or go to an organization that accepts old computers as donations.

Conclusion

Every year, landfills get dumped with tons of discarded computers and computer peripherals. It is not only unsightly, but very dangerous to the environment because these objects contain lead and other heavy metals and toxic substances. When smashed or incinerated, these substances get released into the environment. By choosing some of the options mentioned above, you not only save money, but you also reduce the amount of these devices landing in dump sites and landfills.

 

(Losing an old computer can be like losing an old friend. So its great to find Ways To Optimize Your Old PC. But if you really have to do the inevitable, here are a few tips on How to Get Rid of Old Computers.)