{"id":605,"date":"2024-07-01T03:59:07","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T03:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thatpaulguy.tech\/?p=605"},"modified":"2024-08-28T01:38:18","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T01:38:18","slug":"are-a-dozen-old-pcs-better-than-one-new-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thatpaulguy.tech\/?p=605","title":{"rendered":"Are a dozen old PCs better than one new one?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

Your first question might be “How old are the old PCs?” The next question might then be “How new?” I’ll answer both, then I will explain a bit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The twelve in question are Dell Optiplexes from 2008 through 2010, while the new one is pretty much anything from the past few years. Its a silly question with an obvious answer, but maybe it should be how I got them? They are the result of a yard sale find that cost ten dollars for the lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They range from Core 2 Duos and Pentiums to one PC that has an E8400 running with DDR3 memory. A quick test showed most of them booting up with four failing. Next will be to take the ones that didn’t, and see if things like a new CMOS battery will help. Most had low battery messages, and I suspect it to be a common them among them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are old PCs even worth the trouble?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course there will be more experiments and tests. I have a Q6600 Core 2 Quad with higher capacity DDR3 to try, but I may have to swap other parts to get at least one working. None of the machines has a power supply over 320W, so any GPU tinkering will keep that in mind. All will need thorough cleaning and new thermal paste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, it will be fun to find out which can be saved, if one can be my new server, and which can be turned into a more modern sleeper build with newer parts. That’s where the second question comes in. As it turns out, I have a few ways I can set up a sleeper with either intel or AMD. I might also be able to use AMD, Nvidia, or Intel as a video solution. It may look like a machine from 2010, but it certainly won’t behave like one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What will I do with the others?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many of the old PCs only have 2GB or 4GB of DDR2 memory, so I may sell the memory as a lot. I may also sell all of the processors as a lot with all of them being socket 775. The leftover parts will be set aside for recycling. The shipping might cost me a bit, but I should still stand to make more than the ten bucks it cost for the entire batch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other thing it definitely provides is content for multiple YouTube videos that will eventually find their way here<\/a>. I’m also quite sure that if I can continue to commit to this blog again, some of the tests and experiments will end up being written about, so check back here<\/a> soon. I’m sure it will be hours of entertainment, and if I can get a few working PCs, that will be a bonus. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How did we get here? Your first question might be “How old are the old PCs?” The next question might then be “How new?” I’ll answer both, then I will explain a bit. The twelve in question are Dell Optiplexes from 2008 through 2010, while the new one is pretty much anything from the past … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Are a dozen old PCs better than one new one?”<\/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":[14,31,55],"class_list":["post-605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech","tag-dell","tag-optiplex","tag-yard-sale"],"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