what's the best thing to do with an old 486 laptop?

[aARON]

Is there any unique funky thing I can do with a 486 laptop?

I was thinking like maybe using the LCD for a dual monitor setup if it is possible. 486 is too slow for me except maybe for surfing. But then I'd have to get a modem.

Or maybe I can use it to fool around with Linux or BeOS.

Any ideas?

[dos7]

hello there aAron,

im surprised no one has responded to this post yet. There is definitely still some usefulness in that old 486 of yours. As far as using that LCD screen as a second monitor for your other computer systems, i dont really know about that,, that sounds as though it would involve some modification of the laptop and thus probably render the laptop itself useless. But using other OS's for with it is a great idea, also the idea of using the 486 laptop for one exclusive purpose such as browsing or file storage,although probably not big on space, is also a viable option. To me though, i would try to find a home for the laptop where there is no other computer already residing, perhaps you know of someone who has not experienced the wonderful world of computers, a child perhaps, donate this computer to them so that they may broaden their horizons. Of course if you do this you will have to supply free tech support to this person as well, but that is a reward in itself. There is nothing like seeing a person get excited about computers/internet, especially kids/teens,,,they learn so quickly and absorb so much, that old 486 is still quite functional, although at a much slower pace. The computer that you don't know what to do with could be someone's ticket to a new hobby, and much more.

dennis

[Snuffy!]

Whack a network card into it and turn it into a Linux box!
I've got a 486 in my room acting as a linux box, so i can restart etc on my main comp, and still be connected to the net.

[aARON]

dos7,

I guess I haven't really thought about giving it away. Well, it isn't really mine to give away ... but if it was, and now that I think about it, I'm not so sure I want to be the one to expose a child to the world of computers/internet. Ignorance is bliss and all that ...

Snuffy!,

I actually don't have the laptop yet. Can I be sure that I can put a network card in it? And I need to get one for my desktop as well, right? I don't know a lot about networking.

[KillerBug]

Paint a red anarchy simbol on it, crack holes in the cover and run wires out, and have a friend try and get it on a plane!!! Make sure that it boots to a 5:00 timer counting down.

[ck42866]

Like stated earlier, turn it into a linux box

KB: http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[thekingofpain]

Shove that baby under the seat in your car and have a jillion MP3's at your access http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Warthog]

uhhhh....shoot it

Warthog

[grunt]

If you are really board you can paint it.

http://www.auwebdesign.com/shawnpages/01.jpg

http://www.auwebdesign.com/shawnpages/24.jpg

Yeah, I was really board http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Missing the point]

So ya wanna know what the BEST thing to do is?

Give it to me.

I have been looking for a 486 laptop for ages now, I haven't been able to find any, since everyone just breaks em.

I want em for when I go places, I can keep a record on it and stuff.

How much ya want, and where do ya live?

EMail me: afuller11@home.com

[Snuffy!]

Yeah, just buy a pci 10mb network card for yer main comp, they are hell cheap, then get a laptop network card for the laptop, if it hasn't already got one, and connect em up.

[Variable]

Put it in your car!!
You could build yourself a perfectly cool
PC-car with mp3-cd-player, GPS-System?? (with a 486??), some old games for others in your car, etc.

[KillerBug]

To play Mp3s, you need a sound card, in the rare even that a 486 has sound, it is still most likely so slow that the mp3 would not play correctly, if the hard drive were large enough to hold a stripped down linux distribution or windows 95 plus your mp3 collection, the best thing to do is get your friend in trouble at the airport!

[JonmaTifa]

486's are too slow for mp3's. Even 100mhz ones. You'll need at the very least a Pentium 75mhz to just play an mp3. Though anything faster is recomended. (yes, pentium 75 are faster than 486 100...)

[aARON]

I guess i can't use it for mp3's. Oh well ...

So what OS should I install ... or more appropriately: which OS's will run on a 486 laptop?

Snuffy!: I don't have any more PCI slots available on my desktop (I have two Voodoo 2's). Is there any other way to network like an ISA network card maybe? Around how much will I spend for networking? This is really only a side project ...

[finger51]

I use mine to play .mp3's in my bedroom. I just hooked it up to some cat5 down the hall from my office. plays great! $5 for the enet card and I was off and running. Its small and fits on my dresser just fine. It was more of a pain running the wire than anything else. Using Win98 lite.

[linux_guru]

You hit the nail on the head, first up ! Install LINUX on it !

[Variable]

Well sorry to tell you guys but a 486 CAN play mp3s.
All it needs is a littel add-on card (you will have to build it yourself) inserted into a floppy-drive.
And then..........
.........the nicest mp3-sound you have ever heared.

[dgardner]

Variable how can you plug a card into a floppy drive, call me nieve, but I would love to see a pic of this card!!!

Best thing to do with an old 486 laptop, simple install the orignal theme park and play that on it. As that game was great and if you try running it on p75 upwards toooo fast!!

Or alternativly you could take the top of the lid off, take the screen out mount a tank where the screen should be and put some fish in it!!!

~Dave~

[dos7]

donate it to the smithsonian.......hahahahaha,,,actually,,the linux box is a pretty good idea.