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How to use old CPUs (Not Debian Specific)



OK. Like I'm guessing is the case with many of the users on this list, I have a multitude of PCs around the house. Four to be exact. I used to have three of them up and running, but that was before we moved. Now, since I have a DSL connection, I no longer have my desktop connected to an old machine with ISA slots just to use the hardware modem. We also have not yet found room to set up my daughter's computer. So only one PC is in use and the others are not even out of their moving boxes.

Like I said, I don't have enough space in the new apartment to set up multiple computers, but I dislike having computing power going to waste. Can anyone suggest a way to network/connect all four to possibly distribute the load among them? I am considering building a custom case to hold all the MBs and only have a single monitor, mouse and keyboard connected. The case would, obviously, have to be fairly large, but it could then act as a table, as well, so the space would still be more efficient than four seperate cases which serve no othere purpose.

This is the equipment that I have:

My current Desktop unit - AMD Athlon XP 2400+
                        - 40 GB HD (less than half used)
                        - DVD ROM / CDRW
                        - 3.5" FD
                        - Built in Audio
                        - USB / Firewire

Previous Net gateway    - PII 350MH
                        - 200 MB HD
                        - 20 GB HD
                        - CD-ROM
                        - 3.5" FD
                        - USB

Daughter's PC           - 486 SX 25
                        - 80 MB HD

Other inherited PC      - 486 SX 25
                        - 120 MB HD?  (may actually be 80 + compression)

The 486s are currently running Win3.1, but that can be remedied.

I also have lots of cables of various sorts, extra mice and keyboards (that I hope NOT to use) a few small HDs (170 MB to 256 MB) a 10-BaseT card or two. Somewhere, there is also a 2GB HD that has a possibly non-funtional Win98SE install. It is probably in the PII box.

--
Marc Shapiro
mshapiro_42@yahoo.com



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