15 Practical Things You Can do With an Old Computer

In this video, we'll show you 15 practical things you can do with an old computer that still works. From fixing it up to turning it into a media server, there are plenty of things you can do with an old computer that's just waiting to be used!

00:00 what to do with old pc
00:10 working with hardware
00:43 learning how to solder
01:17 experiment with linux
02:09 home server or network attached storage
02:55 media server, file server, web server, email server, or dedicated game server
03:35 external firewall or router
04:05 retro gaming or emulation
04:37 TiVo / slingbox
05:19 arcade machine
05:44 guest room or kitchen pc
06:33 surveillance system
07:11 kids first computer
07:34 set-up a live weather station
08:03 sell it for parts or as a complete system
08:32 donate

If you're like most people, your old computer is gathering dust in your closet. But don't let that old machine sit there unused - there are lots of things you can do with an old computer that will make your life a lot easier! If you're looking for ways to use your old laptop that's been gathering dust, then this video is for you! We'll show you some fun and practical ways to use your old computer to its full potential, from turning it into a music server to using it as a home cinema receiver! So sit back, relax, and let us show you how to get the most out of your old computer! If you're looking to get some use out of an old computer that you no longer need, then this video is for you! We'll show you some easy ways to fix it up, turn it into a media server, and more. If you're looking to declutter your home or office, then this is the video for you! there are a lot of fun things you can do with an old computer. This video is packed with tips and tricks on how to reuse an old computer to make it work better for you! After watching this video, you'll know how to turn an old computer into something useful and practical! Whether you need a new computer or you just need to free up some space, these 15 ideas are sure to help you out!

Tired of your old computer gathering dust? Don't throw it away! This video reveals 15 SECRET ways to REUSE your old computer. From FREE media server to RETRO GAMING & DIY arcade machines, discover the HIDDEN POTENTIAL of your old tech. Breathe new life into your PC & SAVE MONEY today!

If this is your first time here thank you for stopping by. On this channel we discuss #retrocomputing and #unsupported software. You will find how to videos, demonstrations, slipstreaming updates, and repairing automatic updates for windows among many other projects. There is a little bit here for all manner of retro computing enthusiasts.

Here are some suggestions for videos to check out:
Using Windows XP FOREVER!
Automatic Updates for Windows 7 After 2020 - How to Get Them
15 Practical Things You Can do With an Old Computer

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[bluedesign]

Your channel is so underrated. It is you who introduced me on how to use MS-DOS and now I'm codding my own MS-DOS operating system with QBasic 4.5 thanks to you!

[robrobbins]

As a programmer, I use old PCs as a development system when I need to run old software. For example, I might need an old version of Python to avoid running into a lot of problems trying to follow an old tutorial. Instead of trying to install multiple environments on my PC, I can use an old system. Some programmers use virtual machines for this.

[Arise]

I was gifted an old laptop from a friend and decided to upgrade the parts and use it as a secondary device or for school which was fine but then decided to multiboot windows xp, vista, 7, 8.1, and ubuntu while still using it for work which is quite awesome in my opinion it also familiarized me with how laptops are compared to towers.

[fwingebritson]

Great video. Nothing to troll about. However, it would be interesting to see videos like how to set up a weather station, and setting up a retro computer. Maybe a little more in depth than "this is what it is" but actually explain how.

[CoolGorillaGoAnimate]

My way of using old hardware is just testing games and having nostalgic experiences. It's so much fun for some reason.

[NCC-]

You know you are a deep technophile when you started cringing in the last "destruction for art" part

[Max_Mustermann]

Interesting suggestions. One thing one has to take into account though when using an old PC as a server that runs 24/7 is power consumption. For less demanding workloads like weather stations or home surveillance something like a Raspberry Pi might be preferable in this regard.

[new-knowledge]

With old computers like mine, CPU upgrades are really cheap. Upgrade from the dual CPU processor, to a quad processor, cost you only a massive $20 CAD. Add an SSD, and bingo, things are running much faster. My computer is a 2009 Lenovo computer, but here today in 2022, it is still fast enough to watch YT videos at 1080p 60 fps, all while running on Windows 10 Pro. And so if you are not into games, etc., a few minor cheap upgrades in a 2009 computer can still be enough for you to keep your computer running fast enough for your movie watching at HD quality at Movie/TV_SHOW websites, watching YT videos at 1080 p60 fps, and of course watching HD NETFLIX.

[kendan]

In highschool I used an old stick of RAM as a straight edge. Imo it's more convenient and durable than a plastic ruler

[PurblePink]

I would ABSOLUTELY want my room stuffed with Desktops And Laptops From The Intel Core 2 Era To The Ivy Bridge Era So That I Could Play On Them With Windows Vista!

[sixtybubba]

Im just seeing this video after taking my family old pre built pc to school to take apart that media server wouldve been so helpful right about now

[Mrshoujo]

I use an old computer for specialized tasks.
I use a Win98SE desktop to copy DVDs.
I have a slow cobbled together Win2K / XP to make DVDs from video files.
A WinME just for reading old hard drives and copying to a flash drive and converting the occasional AOL .art picture file.
A recovered WinXP Pro tower for connecting hard drives to clone with Clonezilla booted from CD.

[FirestoneAnimation]

Where I work we have some old computers just collecting dust waiting to hear from IT what they'll do with it. After binging some PC building and watching old computers being used, I figured to ask my dad (manager there) if I could take one of them with me to tinker with. Still waiting to hear

[gamepad]

I'm in the process of building out an entire network using the server, surveillance and retro gaming ideas (hence why I'd rather build up a LAN center for older versions of Windows just for that reason). along with a firewall and router (wouldn't hurt to have more devices to plug in). since I am going to the way of security.

[macblink]

retro gaming/emulation or surveillance system are my favorite options 👌🏻

[kovacsdavid]

I mean yeah, I have an old Dell PC, and I upgraded it with a GPU, and some RAM. Still runs Windows perfectly, but it doesn't have to. I use Linux.
Great video though.

[chucku]

Ther's a usage you can also have (tangential with an arcade station) : use it to emulate older computers or game consoles. Win XP and even Win98 have a lot of emulators.

[FreedomEver]

16. You can use the chips to make fashionable jewelry

[thethj]

Do you have any pointers on where to look step by step on some of these?

[matthewday]

I wouldn't be inclined to use a particularly old computer for distributed computing, as the contribution is likely to be low for the power consumed.
Running Android-X86 is another possible use.
The world of retro can also pose interesting challenges - sometimes you need it to be fast enough, other times you need it to be SLOW ENOUGH