Old but still decently usable computers - 2023 Edition

[volv1992]

@volv1992

HP Elitebook 8770w - will run windows 10 - two SATA 2.5" drive bays, memory upgradable to 32GB, quad-core I7, 17-inch HD screen, graphics card upgradable, dockable, not very portable though, and will not run FreeBSD or similar operating systems. BIOS incompatibility. Linux is fine. Can run MacOS allegedly.

HP 8560w - as above but 15inch, still hefty, 16GB RAM maximum. Very cheap though. $80 USD cheap.

These two use DDR3 memory but the bus speed is 1333MHz, not so good. 1600MHz is the max on DDR3, which is the highest you’re gonna get in my price bracket.

There’s HP 8760w and 8770w on eBay or other sites, people trying to sell them for around $500, based on it having 32GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD - doesn’t sound like a good deal to me based on the actual max bus speed… It’s a good machine, but maybe only worth $200 tops.

[volv1992]

@volv1992

Also worth noting, some of the 2011/2012 Intel iMacs (A1311), or Mac Pro desktops (A1289), are very cheap and a decent spec, if one needed to squeeze extra pennies. The A1311 has DDR3 SODIMM RAM slots at the bottom of the screen, looks like you can get 32GB in there, potentially.

The operating system and application version would realistically be the thing holding you back. These models won’t receive updates for Adobe Creative Cloud applications, for example, but if I was looking for just one computer cheaply, I’d go for an iMac and try to put Windows 10 on it, if not, Windows 8.1.

Nah, if you’re actually in the market for something cheap and usable (thinking student usage) then Lenovo T430s is probably the best all-rounder.

Sadly the prices are inflating a bit, because some fucking idiot (i.e. me) keeps buying used computers, soz!

[afterspivak]

@volv1992

Sadly the prices are inflating a bit, because some fucking idiot (i.e. me) keeps buying used computers

Guy

[TaipeiGuy2000]

Purchased a used Supermicro X9 motherboard (X9-SRi-F) released back in 2013. This will be paired with 64GB of DDR3 memory, an 8C Xeon processor, 4x8TB drives, 2x128GB SSDs, and function as a new backup NAS.

[volv1992]

@TaipeiGuy2000

Purchased a used Supermicro X9 motherboard (X9-SRi-F) released back in 2013. This will be paired with 64GB of DDR3 memory, an 8C Xeon processor, 4x8TB drives, 2x128GB SSDs, and function as a new backup NAS.

I bet going the old components assembly route would be even cheaper than buying old laptops! You could probably build up a reasonable PC for next to nothing!

@TaipeiGuy2000 what operating system are you planning on using? Some form of Linux, I presume?

[LondonSpice]

@volv1992

I’d go for an iMac and try to put Windows 10 on it

My son uses my old iMac, fitted ssd in behind the dvd drive setup as primary.
We tried windows 10 was pants and a pain to install.
Now running Linux Mint flies like a bird.
Only used as leisure media and web browser so fine.

[TaipeiGuy2000]

Uhm, not 100% decided. I have another system running Proxmox. I like Proxmox and I am considering that for this system. But, I really want to use it as a backup NAS and not be tempted to store anything else on it, so it makes sense to install something designed for that purpose. The logical choice is Truenas. But, to make things complicated, Truenas now has two versions, Scale and Core. Scale is the future, but Core is more stable. I have not used either yet.

Maybe Proxmox with virtualized Truenas and passthrough at the disk controller level? Then also there is Unraid but I think that does not use ZFS? I really want ZFS.

[Marco]

@volv1992

@TaipeiGuy2000

Purchased a used Supermicro X9 motherboard (X9-SRi-F) released back in 2013. This will be paired with 64GB of DDR3 memory, an 8C Xeon processor, 4x8TB drives, 2x128GB SSDs, and function as a new backup NAS.

I bet going the old components assembly route would be even cheaper than buying old laptops! You could probably build up a reasonable PC for next to nothing!

@TaipeiGuy2000 what operating system are you planning on using? Some form of Linux, I presume?

I know a guy who has new old stock of NAS devices for cheap.

[TaipeiGuy2000]

@Marco

I know a guy who has new old stock of NAS devices for cheap.

Anything with ECC memory?

[Marco]

It’s not hugely necessary in a home NAS. Buying two cheaper and setting up proper backups is far better protection than buying an expensive model with ECC to protect against fairly rare bit flips.

I can check though.

[volv1992]

@volv1992

The newer ones are pretty much all soldered chips onto proprietary boards, therefore not really upgradable, and in effective terms, not much better anyway (probably much more secure though).

I was wrong about this. You can still get DDR5 SODIMM sticks.

My work laptop is therefore upgradable to 64GB of RAM I’d consider it if I actually did any work.

[volv1992]

I got some more:-

HP 2570p - very small little dinkus, 16GB of RAM max, screen resolution is 1366 x 768 for a 12.5 inch screen but, meh, it’s kind of cute. There is a dock for it but it’s pointless. $40 USD

HP 2170p - i don’t have this one yet, its a 10 inch screen, but it is dockable. Very dinky, but sellers are asking too much.

HP 8460p/8470p - probably the happy medium, 1600x900 screen resolution, dockable, 16GB of RAM max, $45 USD.

That’ll do. I’ll update if I decide to buy a Mac Pro 5.1 or the dinky one above. Likely, because I’m a hoe.

[TaipeiGuy2000]

@Marco

I can check though.

Just curious, I think for now I am set! And thanks!

[volv1992]

More updates!

HP 8770w does indeed run Mac OS up to Monterey to a decent standard (although relatively tricky to install) so that’s nice and kind of respectable given it is a 12 year old machine.

Bought another HP 8760w which I have no plan for, it arrived and has sat in the box since. Rice and noodles for the rest of the month… looking into giving OpenIndiana a go on it because boredom #hoosier

[volv1992]

@volv1992

Bought another HP 8760w which I have no plan for, it arrived and has sat in the box since.

I made a start on this, opened the case. Smells like it’s been left in the laundry basket of a rugby club for about 19 years, specifically the hard drive for some reason. It’s basically unworkable with that smell so got it soaking in some bleach at the moment.

Buyer beware I suppose. A fitting end to a weird hobby to get me through the winter.

Fin

[volv1992]

Un-Fin

I bought a shit load more, and some desktops. I wish to learn machine learning and programme each of them to have personalities matching faded friends from my youth.

The things you own, end up owning you.

[mad_masala]

[volv1992]

@volv1992

I wish to learn machine learning

Linear regression? Story of my life.

[volv1992]

I now own a couple of Mac Pros (3.1 and 5.1) - the desktop kind. They look nice, but pretty shit really, basically scrap metal. I wouldn’t recommend unless you are an idiot like me as I bought two. The circular Mac Pro might work ok for now but is out of support, and they are still going for $300-700 USD, it ain’t worth that.

[volv1992]

Bought another Mac Pro.

Not sure what is more insane, the hoarding, or the dedication to keeping this dead thread up to date