Got Free PC!

[Scorpiоn]

But it's a - may the PC gods forgive for saying this - Compaq! The neighbor said she got a Dell and she was gonna give this one to Goodwill.  She wanted my help in clearing out any sensitive info she might've had on her 'puter, so I gladly reformatted it, and offered to take it off her hands as she was just looking to get rid of it anyway.

First of all, where can I get some specs for this thing?  Either I'm a complete klutz with Google, it's top secret or it's so old that anywhere it was listed has crumbled away into the vortex of a cyber-antimatter.

Secondly, I'm not sure what I could do with it.  Perhaps do some overclocking?  Ideas?  I was thinking of perhaps using it for the internet, and keeping all my good gaming stuff offline away from all those nasty untermensch more kind people refer to as "spammers and hackers".

[Ivan]

In the geek cummunity These are called Comprak  here in holland. Says something about the quality.

Just use the thing for internet, as it's most likely a 100% onboard affair (nothing wrong with that... but don't use it for gaming)

[JBaymore]

Set it up with a network card and run instruments on it.

best,

................john

[|| Andy ||]

First of all, where can I get some specs for this thing?

If it works.. lol
Right click my computer click properties..

[MWISimmer]

The same thing happened to me recently. A friend got a "dead" pc from work, gave it to me to see if i could do anything with it, ie salvage spares. Turned out to be a blown PSU, whacked an old one in it, bingo.....
It had all the companies accounts, stock, payroll, CV's (resumees) I was a little surprised at this as you can imagine. I reformatted the HDD at my friends request, now i use it as a backup PC, in case anything goes wrong with my current one. It's internet ready, and when i can find the time i'm gonna have a mess around with various linux OS's.
Always handy to have 1 or more old PC's hanging around!
Rob.

[beaky]

Only drawback with just using it for Internet is that you'll have to transfer all those FS downloads to your main rig... but it's a good idea.
Myself, I'd probably use it for that and/or as a music server, depending on the HD size...

[turbo_skylane]

i've got a watch coming thats got 128 mb storage in it.

[Skligmund]

It is a Compaq (Pesario?) XXXX

With that inbformation, all info can be found. If you give me the model number (should be on the front) I can do it for you if you can;t find it.

[Scorpiоn]

Yes, it's a 5461, according to the case.

[congo]

Lol, I bet he's a while............ I also bet he doesnt realise that companies like Compaq use whatever hardware they can lay their hands to cheap.

Within a certain model number, there are probably many variations on the hardware. That's why each machine has a special number that you quote when seeking service.

[TacitBlue]

I was going to suggest the network card and using as instruments thing as a segway to say: I've always called them "Compuke".

[Fozzer]

Hi Scorp...!

Try the usual...>>>

Start > Run > dxdiag....to get all the 'puter specs... ...!

Paul... ...!

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

Hi Scorp...!

Try the usual...>>>

Start > Run > dxdiag....to get all the 'puter specs... ...!

Paul... ...!

That's what I use...very easy and detailed

[the_autopilot]

Set it up with a network card and run instruments on it.

best,

................john

Actually, thats a good idea. I use old computers as DHCP servers and the like on my network. I'd go out and buy two cheap NIC's and use that thing as a freeBSD firewall. Topnotch security for practically nothing.

[Skligmund]

Most likely this is what you have, assuming nothing was changed after the original purchase.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00191338&product=93365&dlc=en&lang=en

Should be a K6-2 500. A 'good' upgrade for that computer would be a K6-2+, a K6-III or a K6-III+, in that order. Even though it is a compaq, you should still be able to set a multiplier of 5.5X, giving you 550 MHz (max possible without overclocking FSB). To do that, there are probably jumpers or dipswitches on the motherboard for that. I've done the same thing to a similar Compaq once myself. Don't tell him he probably can't, because he probably can, even though it is Compaq.

The difference? The K6-2+ is a mobile version (lower voltage, cooler running) with a little bit of onboard cache (the K6-2 has none). The K6-III has more onboard cache, and is a desktop model. The K6-III+ is a mobile version with same cache as K6-III, but at a lower voltage. I have helped overclock one of these to beyon 600 MHz from it's original 400.

I'm running a rare special K6-2+ in my notebook computer (stock voltage is 1.65, normal is 2.2), it works great for word processing, basic internet browsing and runs BOINC when I'm not using it. Also I have the Garmin topo software installed, so I can connect my GPS to it on road trips and the such.