On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 09:57:24 +0100, "Jonathan Eales"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>And it works!
>
>I can use it for:
>- playing music whilst I work
>- download from the Internet
>- test those shareware programs that you don't trust on your main system
>- practise loading and fixing operating systems
>- testing other components
>
>OK so I cheated a little, as I only ordered:
>- a new case with 300W power supply
>- ECS K7S5A Pro motherboard with integrated sound.
>- heatsink and fan
>- CD-ROM
>- floppy drive
>- keyboard
>- mouse
>- case fan
>
>I already had in my spares cupboard:
>- Duron 800MHz CPU (upgraded from 2 years ago)
>- 2.1GB ATA33 hard disk (from an original Pentium system)
>- 256MB DDR memory (bought a couple of months ago, suspect as faulty, bought
>at £16, I couldn't be bothered to RMA it)
>- Matrox Millenium 8MB AGP graphics card (at least 6 years old)
>- 15" CRT with slightly wonky display
>
>I loaded an old version of Windows 98 that I'd upgraded from a while ago and
>the latest Linux Red Hat 9.
>
>And an extra £5 network card which I added when it worked so that I could
>attach it to my home LAN. I misread the motherboard specification and
>thought that it can with integrated network as well.
>
>It is not the best computer I've ever built, certainly not the fastest,
>quietest or most stable. It reboots itself every couple of days; I still
>suspect that memory. But it works and is useful. All for £67+£5 with
>packing and postage and tax included.
>
>So here's the challenge people. How low can you go? Build a computer as
>cheap as you can, that you'd be able to give your Granny to try the
>Internet. Use those old components that sit in the back of your spares
>cupboard or the bottom of your bits box.
>
>We want to hear your success stories. It will make a change from all the
>problems that we give advice on.
>
>Go for it.
>Jonathan
>
Most recently I put one together for free awhile back for a friend.
AFAIR, here's what was in it:
Case, PSU, floppy drive and MSI-6738 motherboard with integrated
video, audio and network salvaged from discarded units at work..
800 Mhz Duron CPU from years-old upgrade.
128 (2x 64MB) RAM and 56K modem from junkbox.
Generic Soundcard friend gave me a few months ago.
Quantum 10GB HD from another friend who upgraded, and thought this one
was going bad. (It wasn't, but did have a few bad blocks)
Generic CD player, KB, cheapo speakers and mouse found in trash along
with several games and an Unopened copy of Adobe Photoshop 4. (Lucky
find - Little sign on box it was all in said "Free")
VGA Monitor somebody threw out last year, but worked fine.
Windows 98SE that's been banging around in a desk drawer for years.
Internet software, various multimedia and application software from
the usual freeware/shareware sources.
Threw it all together and it worked without a hitch. Stable and
powerful enough for a friend who doesn't do a lot of gaming or
DVD-editing.
Things used to be even better before moved cross-country...
About 5 years ago, I was in a position where I could get all the parts
I wanted from units I stripped and rebuilt for a charity Internet
access centre I volunteered at. I was constantly building myself
heavy-duty units from spare parts. I'd take a bunch home and put them
on my network, then a few weeks later, bring them back and build more.
Worked out well. I had a lot of fun with the stuff, and they got
preconfigured, heavily-tested units in return. <g>
At present, I could prolly put together lots of free or nearly (US$50
or less) if I got off my arse and went to a few swap meets and garage
sales.
Regards,
Jack
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