Every computer eventually reaches the end of its useful life. This will leave you with a seemingly pointless piece of technology. You could let it sit in your wardrobe collecting dust, or you could put it to good use.

Here are five methods for enhancing your life or the lives of others by using an outdated computer. Recycle, reuse, and reconfigure your outdated computer instead of worrying about what to do with it.

Make it into a NAS

Manage a home network with many users through your old computer device. You might want to consider turning your old computer into a network-attached storage (NAS) device.

Due to the fact that most PCs aren't set up to be efficient storage systems, this method will require a little more work than simply connecting your old computer to a network. If possible, you should switch to BIOS power management, leave the operating system on during important periods, and make sure it consumes less power while not in use.

Additionally, you should probably run your system "headless." Without a display, keyboard, or mouse, that is. However, the display will be necessary for the initial setup.

Invest in a distributed computing project with your PC

A lot of hands make light labour. Start a distributed computing project if you want to use your old computer for some good while keeping in mind that you will require a relatively modern graphics card.

A distributed computing project employs online connections to a central network and computer resources from all over the world to research and maybe solve a problem. One such is the initiative Folding@Home, which investigates protein folding, a crucial aspect of how illnesses function.

Make it an experimental box

You must have heard about Linux, and you might want to try it out. However, the idea of attempting to set up a dual-boot system on your main PC makes you feel a little uncomfortable. On your old box, you can now experiment to your heart's content.

Visit Ubuntu, the hot Linux distribution that geeks love. Because Linux has so much built-in support for older hardware, installation is typically simple. Actually, there are situations when installing Ubuntu is easier than installing Windows. And there is a ton of free software available for Linux that is just waiting to be tested.

You should attempt building a Hackintosh, a PC that can run macOS if you believe you have the technical know-how and a penchant for tinkering. It is possible, although it does require some work. Start with the main Hackintosh website, but be prepared for a protracted and occasionally difficult journey. Oh, and a legitimate copy of macOS will cost money.

Other genuine UNIX-based operating systems include FreeBSD or PC-BSD (based on the Berkeley UNIX version) and OpenSolaris (based on the Sun Microsystems version of UNIX).

Try recycling

Did you know that harmful compounds are present in computers and other electronics? And if you've come to the conclusion that your old computer is truly useless, maybe take the time to trash it properly.

The metals and chemicals used to create computer equipment, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, can seep into the groundwater and soil when disposed of in landfills. This hurts our ecosystem and the populations of both people and animals.

Take Up Nostalgic Gaming

Older PCs can typically handle older games, and there are many PC ports of classic games that are functional and appeal to nostalgia. You will be able to convert an outdated PC into a dedicated gaming device after doing a clean Windows installation. There's always Steam, but there is also a ton of games on GOG.com(Opens in a new window).

You can check how to play Old Games on Your Modern PC if you encounter issues. Grab an emulator for vintage consoles like the Nintendo 64 to start playing vintage games on your PC.

Use it as a secondary computing server

Having a second PC to assist with dispersed rendering tasks can significantly speed up final renders for complicated projects if you're a content creator.

You must go to your documentation because each programme handles distributed rendering a little bit differently. On the secondary rendering system, however, you'll normally install a lightweight programme that will accept input and commands from the primary system and then provide results when finished. The rendering across several networked systems is managed by the primary programme on your production machine or a separate manager app.