{"id":554,"date":"2023-11-11T01:11:58","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T01:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thatpaulguy.tech\/?p=554"},"modified":"2023-11-18T18:27:58","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T18:27:58","slug":"make-the-most-of-40-bucks-waste-or-treasure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thatpaulguy.tech\/?p=554","title":{"rendered":"Make The Most Of 40 Bucks: Waste Or Treasure?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How did we get here?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How do you spend 40 bucks? Gas, a meal out? The water bill? If you are lucky enough, you may be able to find a broken PC on eBay. Or, a non-working PC that isn’t broken. Technically, the listing was non-working, for parts, final sale, so I took a chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This started when I was looking for an ultra cheap alternative to building a PC and ended up with a server and a 300 budget PC, both. I decided to build the cheapest full system I could, and ended up scoring free accessories. A keyboard and monitor came from a corporate IT department, so I set my sights on the PC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My goal was to find a non working prebuilt with an identifiable issue. After a bit of digging, I found one. For sale on eBay, a 5040MT Dell Optiplex, non-working, for parts. The pics showed a missing HDD or SSD, and a decent i5 with memory, so for 46 dollars, including the tax, I bought it. It even came with free shipping. Deal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

40 bucks Non-working, no returns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was sure I knew what the problem was and it would be an easy fix. SSD’s are cheap, with a 500Gb going for around twenty eight dollars. A have a mouse and free accessories, so if the SSD worked, it would mean I now had a working computer, although a filthy one, for about 80. After a clean up, it will handle most tasks well, but I want more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have to admit, this PC, though non-working, came well packed like a new unit. Both happy and surprised, I have set to work cleaning it up and will test the ‘base’ model when that’s done. The video for the PC itself is here<\/a>, but that’s not where it ends. This needs to be an ultra budget gamer; this is just the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next part will be finding a video card that fits in the slim case and more memory. A few non traditional upgrades, and this thing will have a whole new life playing games. It may also see a renewed life as an office PC, but a month ago it was trash. Not a bad turn for the old Optiplex. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, What’s next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I will finish a good cleaning, and testing, then put the extra memory and SSD in with a fresh install of windows. I have two choices of video cards that fit, so I will try them both. Then I will test it against the $300 budget build that I didn’t get a chance to write about, so I will cover that in the next blog. It promises to be fun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, I’m not sure. New homes are an option, or I can sell it to a small business on a budget. I almost always have at least one office computer around just for that reason. Come to think of it, I almost always have at least one spare older laptop. There’s a video in there somewhere. Later, but not too much later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With care and a good eye, you can find a great deal that most people will miss. Getting the free accessories from the IT department was as easy as asking. The accessories came from the e-waste stack, and have a new home and even the monitor is a great find at 24 inches with a built in webcam. All because I asked for an older keyboard. You just never know. Now, I have to get back to cleaning this thing. It was a good 40 bucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back top the blog stuff<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How did we get here? How do you spend 40 bucks? Gas, a meal out? The water bill? If you are lucky enough, you may be able to find a broken PC on eBay. Or, a non-working PC that isn’t broken. Technically, the listing was non-working, for parts, final sale, so I took a chance. … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Make The Most Of 40 Bucks: Waste Or Treasure?”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[45,46,14,31],"class_list":["post-554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech","tag-broken","tag-budget","tag-dell","tag-optiplex"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t