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What to do with too many old computers?

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First post, by TandySensation

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I have a good selection of old systems and cards, more than I can use but they're mostly broken down into boxes and static bags so I want for nothing in the old PC arena.

Someone offered me three PII era PCs for free, I said ok I'll take them because they are getting scarce with so many already scrapped.

Two are Compaq white towers and 1 is a Digital Equipment PC 2000. I didn't even know Digital made PCs before they went out of business, unless it's a Compaq with the Digital logo on the case. All of them have PII stickers on the front but I don't know anything else yet, only saw some blurry bigfoot-esq pictures.

Hate to see them sent to the shredder so I offered to take them in. What do you recommend I do with them? Clean them up and set aside? Is it worth trying to sell them as 'retro' on fleabay with some preloaded software? Hold onto them along with my Pogs, Beanie Babies, and comics to fund a lavish retirement?

Reply 1 of 2, by TELEPACMAN

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You can do some archaeology, trying to determine if it is the original configuration, if there has been some upgrades along its life cycle.
You can also figure out "who" used each of the PC. What I mean by that is taking in consideration the specs you can guess if it has belong to a student, a gamer (or both), an accountant, etc
You can see if there are any unusual parts inside that you'd like to keep.
You can upgrade them or downgrade them with the parts you allready have.
You can test them with memtest and others.
You can do some benchmarking.
You can load some GAMES!
😀
Just from the top of my head.

Reply 2 of 2, by chinny22

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My local TAFE (Government run trade collage) used Digital PC's. This was a brand new campus around 95ish? complete with zip 100 drives for each PC! much better then floppys for taking work home. really well built machines and the date would be make them early P2's.
Compaq business PC's were also quality (home market was 50/50) in those days so you may be able to get some good parts from them, or sell em off at market site of your choice. OEM PC's make good starting platform for reto PC's but you wont make much from them.

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