如果您的旧笔记本电脑或 PC 积满了灰尘，您可能想知道是否要回收、赠送或将其用于创意项目。当谈到如何处理旧电脑时，您可以想到很多创意，我们这里有 10 个最好的创意。
1.将其用作媒体服务器
使用旧电脑最酷的事情之一就是用它来播放流媒体。Plex、Emby或Kodi 等(Kodi)软件是(Software)免费的，可以安装在任何运行Windows、macOS 或Linux 的(Linux)计算机上。
播放软件可以下载到几乎任何设备，从智能电视(TVs)到游戏机。您可以在任何设备上观看所有您喜爱的本地存储的视频或收听音乐和播客，并且此类软件被设计为轻量级的，因此即使在旧系统上也可以使用。
2. DIY一个视频投影仪
如果您碰巧同时拥有一台旧笔记本电脑和一台旧投影仪，那么这是一个非常有趣的项目。您可以将旧笔记本电脑改造成视频投影仪，以观看Plex(Plex)服务器上存储的所有电影。您需要一台带有TFT屏幕的设备（尽管背光坏了也没关系）。这个项目需要一些DIY技能，但YouTube 上的精彩视频指南(video guide on YouTube)将逐步分解。
3. 设置Web服务器
如果您拥有自己的网站并且目前正在支付托管费用，为什么不通过将您的旧电脑设置为网络服务器来托管您的网站来节省一些钱呢？您甚至还可以为朋友和家人托管网站。或者，您可以为FTP(FTP)设置 Web 服务器，以便可以通过 Web 与朋友共享文件。
4.玩老派游戏
没有什么比复古游戏更能给您带来怀旧的感觉了，所以为什么不将您的旧电脑改造成复古游戏机呢？安装较旧的操作系统将让您玩《DOOM》或《Lemmings》等复古游戏(retro games)。
如果您使用 Steam 和DOSBox，您可以模拟旧版DOS环境。此外，如果您的电脑已经运行Windows 7或 8，您可能不需要安装较旧的操作系统。
5.将其用作家庭电脑
厌倦(Tired)了您的家人花几个小时躲在不同的房间里检查电子邮件或浏览网页？将您的旧电脑设置(Set)为客厅中的公用家庭计算机，以便每个人都可以上网、检查电子邮件或完成作业。网络存储在这里也是一个好主意，这样每个人都可以访问他们的文件。
6. 创建数码相框
想知道如何处理旧电脑吗？如果您的笔记本电脑仍然可用，您可以使用旧电脑来显示照片。您所需要的只是一个像样的屏幕和一些将其变成数码相框的专业知识。如果它仍然连接到您的家庭Wi-Fi，您甚至可以用它来显示您的社交媒体照片。
7. 与朋友在线游戏
如果您更喜欢与朋友一起玩《命运 2》(Destiny 2)或《堡垒之夜》(Fortnite)，您可以将您的旧电脑设置为专用游戏服务器。大多数多人在线游戏都支持专用服务器，但请务必检查您选择的游戏是否支持。因为这种类型的服务器不需要强大的系统，所以即使是非常旧的 PC 也可以成为很棒的专用游戏服务器。
8.把它变成艺术
创建壁挂式电脑是将您的电脑变成美观且功能齐全的好方法。您需要计算机的硬盘和主板以及视频教程(video tutorial)。您还需要一些基本工具和材料，例如胶合板和有机玻璃(Plexiglas)。这不仅在墙上看起来很酷，而且您还可以使用Wi-Fi同步来共享文件。
9.升级
如果这些项目都不适合您，为什么不升级您的计算机呢？并非所有计算机都可以执行此操作，例如那些将SSD和RAM集成到主板中的计算机。由于涉及时间和成本，升级旧笔记本电脑(upgrading an old laptop)并不总是值得的- 这取决于您想要它做什么。对于大多数机器，您可以升级RAM和/或硬盘驱动器，因此您的旧笔记本电脑可能会得到更多使用。您还可以使用旧内存做(cool things you can do with old RAM)一些非常酷的事情。
10.把它变成一台街机
我们清单上的最后一个想法是迄今为止最好的一个。不要再想如何处理一台旧电脑，把它变成一台复古的街机！您可以使用街机模拟器(arcade emulator)（如MAME ，多街机模拟器的(Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator)缩写）来模拟街机硬件。只要您拥有适合工作的计算机和显示器，就可以轻松地将您的旧计算机变成街机( turn your old computer into an arcade machine)。
我们希望这能为您提供一些关于如何处理旧电脑的绝妙创意。当您在这里时，如果您手头有
旧路由器，为什么不看看我们关于如何处理旧路由器的一些想法呢？(what to do with an old router)
10 Creative Things to Do With an Old Computer
If your old laptoр or PC is gathering dust, yoυ might wonder whеther to recycle іt, give it away, or use it for a creative рroject. When it comes tо what to do with an old computer, there are loads of creative idеas you can get stuck into, and we’ve got 10 of the best right here.
1. Use it as a Media Server
One of the coolest things to do with your old PC is to use it for streaming media. Software like Plex, Emby or Kodi is free and can be installed on any computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
The playback software can be downloaded to almost any device, from smart TVs to games consoles. You can watch all your favorite locally stored videos or listen to music and podcasts from any device, and this type of software is designed to be lightweight, so it can be used even on old systems.
2. DIY a Video Projector
If you happen to have both an old laptop and an old overhead projector just lying around, this is a pretty fun project. You can repurpose your old laptop into a video projector to watch all the movies stored on your Plex server. You’ll need a device with a TFT screen (though it doesn’t matter if the backlight is broken). This project takes some DIY skills, but a great video guide on YouTube breaks things down step by step.
3. Set up a Web Server
If you have your own website and currently pay for hosting, why not save yourself a few bucks by setting up your old PC as a web server to host your site? You could even host sites for friends and family too. Or you could set up your web server for FTP so you can share files over the web with friends.
4. Play Old-School Games
There’s nothing like a retro gaming session to give you all the nostalgic feels, so why not repurpose your old computer into a retro gaming machine? Installing an older OS will let you play retro games like DOOM or Lemmings.
If you use Steam and DOSBox, you can emulate a legacy DOS environment. Also, if your PC is already running Windows 7 or 8, you likely won’t need to install an older OS.
5. Use it as a Family PC
Tired of your family spending hours holed up in separate rooms checking email or browsing the web? Set up your old PC as a communal family machine in your living room so everyone can surf the web, check email, or complete homework. Networked storage is also a good idea here so everyone can access their files.
6. Create a Digital Photo Frame
Wondering what to do with an old computer? You can use your old PC to display your photos if your laptop is still functional. All you need is a decent screen and a bit of know-how to turn it into a digital photo frame. If it still connects to your home Wi-Fi you could even use it to display your social media photos.
7. Game Online with Friends
If you prefer gaming online with friends on Destiny 2 or Fortnite, you could set up your old PC as a dedicated game server. Most multiplayer online games support dedicated servers, but make sure you check your game of choice does. Because this type of server doesn’t require a powerful system, even a really old PC makes a great dedicated game server.
8. Turn it Into Art
Creating a wall-mounted PC is a great way to turn your PC into something that looks good and still functions. You’ll need your computer’s hard drive and motherboard, and a video tutorial. You’ll also require some basic tools and materials such as plywood and Plexiglas. Not only does this look pretty cool on your wall, but you can also use Wi-Fi sync to share files.
9. Upgrade it
If none of these projects seem right for you, why not upgrade your computer? It’s not possible to do this with all computers, such as those which have the SSD and RAM integrated into the motherboard. It’s also not always worth upgrading an old laptop due to the time and cost involved — and it depends on what you want it to do. With most machines, you can upgrade the RAM and/or the hard drive, so you might get some more use out of your old laptop yet. There are also some pretty cool things you can do with old RAM.
10. Turn it Into an Arcade Machine
The final idea on our list is the best one yet. Stop wondering what to do with an old computer and turn it into a retro arcade machine! You can use an arcade emulator like MAME, short for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator to emulate arcade machine hardware. As long as you have the right computer and monitor for the job, it’s easy to turn your old computer into an arcade machine.
We hope this has given you some great creative ideas for what to do with an old computer. While you’re here, why not check out some of our ideas for what to do with an old router if you’ve got one lying around?
