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Thread ID: 129655 2013-03-05 03:24:00 Strategy for dealing with existing PCs - ideas please? John H (8) Press F1
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1331314 2013-03-05 03:24:00 Hi folks

I have three PCs in the house - a desktop and laptop for my business, and a desktop for the family. All are probably reaching the end of their useful life. My wife and I will soon be homeless for several months whilst a new home is being built so we will be living some of the time in a campervan and some of the time with our daughter. All of our belongings will be in storage for several months, so this is probably the right time to quit the current PCs. I will buy a good laptop for working/internet access in the campervan, and when we are back in our home that will become the sole computer in the house (my wife hardly ever uses the family PC since she bought an iPad).

What to do with the current PCs is the question? They are:
1. a desktop pc (Lian Li PC-V1100A Tower case, 2Gb RAM, CPU Type AMD Athlon 64, 2000 MHz (10 x 200) 3200+, Motherboard Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-9, two hard drives, one DVD burner) built in 2004,
2. a Fujitsu 10.6" Lifebook bought in 2003, and
3. a Shuttle FN45U bare bones PC built about 2005.
All are running WinXP Service Pack 3.

I have replaced the hard drives in the desktop and Fujitsu, but I think the Shuttle is still on the original hard drive... None of them have had a fresh OS install since their builds - performance is not the best for the Fujitsu and the Shuttle is especially cranky.

I feel reluctant to fire them off to the recyclers, but I reckon I couldn't sell them without spending money on getting fresh OS installs on all three, and maybe a new hard drive for the Shuttle. I am not confident enough to do a fresh OS install on them myself...

Finally, I think no-one would want them with XP aboard anyway would they? If so, I would need to spend money on getting Win 7 or 8?

What do you think? Is it worth spending money on them, or would that be a waste? What are my chances of getting that money back (e.g. a new drive for the Shuttle and Win7 for all three)? Should I just cut my losses - they have lasted a hell of a long time for PCs after all...

Thanks for any ideas.
John H (8)
1331315 2013-03-05 03:29:00 What are the specs on the shuttle? I might be interested for the right price.
Yes a waste spending money on them
plod (107)
1331316 2013-03-05 03:45:00 I feared as much, plod. Maybe I should just pass over the Fujitsu to my grandsons to learn on. Right size for them! I will put Everest on the Shuttle and get back to you with the salient bits of the report. Or if you PM me your email address, I could email you the report? John H (8)
1331317 2013-03-05 04:22:00 In my family no matter how old the computer, if it still works you should use it. (Not like only two of the computers in our house we actually bought ourselves, the other 5...) SanChippy (16951)
1331318 2013-03-05 04:55:00 We use a old PC for interneting ... if you won't use them, maybe donate them ... but know what you mean, they do take up space. Nomad (952)
1331319 2013-03-07 08:19:00 OK, thanks for the help folks.

I have bitten the bullet, and bought a new laptop that will become the sole computer in this house and campervan, and will try to find homes for the three pensioners.
John H (8)
1331320 2013-03-07 08:27:00 Whereabouts are you?

I may have a home for the Tower pc
Myth (110)
1331321 2013-03-07 08:27:00 What are you doing with the desktop case?, I love old lian le cases, ill pay for the freight! SolMiester (139)
1331322 2013-03-07 08:30:00 Woodend in North Canterbury, Myth. John H (8)
1331323 2013-03-07 09:26:00 Hmm, bit far out of the way.

For some reason I thought you were in the North Island
Myth (110)
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