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Offline greenfox

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Creative uses for old laptops?
« on: May 24, 2014, 11:37:34 am »
Last week, I rescued an old laptop (an HP Pavilion AMD64) that was destined for the trash because it wouldn't boot.  I got it fixed up and running with a fresh install of Debian and it works great!  My only issue is, I don't know what to do with it! (:  So far, I've just been using it for experimenting with various network services.

Any creative ideas for what I should do with it?
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Offline Purrrl

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2014, 01:16:27 pm »
Depending on disk size, perhaps consider using it as a NAS?

Other than that, I don't really know - I've never had the problem of having too much to use :|
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Offline BassCreator

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2014, 01:24:34 pm »
maybe just snatch the ram and repurpose it towards a better one?
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Offline Weisseman

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2014, 10:35:56 pm »
Use it as a software test client is quite good. Play around with the core components of Linux or Windows for example or playing with new programs you don't want cluttering a better machine. If you break an OS image beyond reasonable repair you can just wipe and reinstall. If you're feeling really adventurous you could creature a HDD image to restore from.

Other options are a media server if it's powerful enough, a laptop to carry about to public places as it is arguable worth nothing or a network monitoring tool.
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Offline greenfox

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2014, 12:06:05 am »
Hmm... I like the idea of a file server or a media server. Maybe I could start a private internet radio station :)
 Its definately destined to be a something server, as I didn't bother installing any sort of graphical environment.  (:  Actually, I had to stash the thing under an armoir, upside down, to keep people from trying to throw it away or pick at it while I was using it.  As a result I can no longer access it locally anyway. >:(
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Offline Jackie

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2014, 04:33:19 am »
Use it to experiment with different things, and if it gets messy or kills itself, then no harm done! ^-^
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Offline Acton

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2014, 10:14:04 pm »
I am using  an old Pentium 4 as an, net drive, and  APRS server and Beacon for Ham radio . I amusing Ubuntu.
http://www.lionspeak.asinglelion.com/?p=601

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Offline greenfox

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2014, 11:29:29 pm »
Well, mines not quite as old as pentium four, but it does have some broken sensors (which is why it was being trashed).

Anyhow, I've wound up using it primarily for ZNC, though I probably will still use it for some experimenting.  Between playing with it and trying to keep it locked down (now that several ports are open), I shouldn't get bored :D.
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Offline JD

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2014, 02:37:15 am »
Creative use for old laptop?



Sorry, somebody had to say it



(Except picture has not old laptop but basically same thing it is)
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Offline BassCreator

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2014, 12:59:53 pm »
LOLOLOLOLOL :D
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Offline greenfox

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2014, 01:31:39 pm »
Quote from: JD on May 30, 2014, 02:37:15 am
Creative use for old laptop?



Sorry, somebody had to say it



(Except picture has not old laptop but basically same thing it is)

Hehe :D  But there's an ironic grain of truth in it:
Just a few days ago the laptop wouldn't even turn on.  Then, I tripped on the power chord, and it fell off the table and skittered across the floor.  After that it worked great! :o
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Offline Old Rabbit

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2014, 11:27:27 am »
Use it as a net browser. You won't have to worry about viruses, malware
or adware on your regular computer that way.

Also testing downloads of so called free software should be good.  So much
of it is full of adware, and other unwanted software anymore.
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Offline Jacoby Quinn

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #12 on: August 28, 2014, 06:17:58 am »
I had a friend who took desktop parts and trimmed and crammed them into an old thinkpad, it ran hot as hell and gave me a blister once, but it was effectively a portable desktop
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Offline Evilo

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Re: Creative uses for old laptops?
« Reply #13 on: August 31, 2014, 05:22:35 am »
You could create a projector with it there are some guides on youtube.
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