Acquired an "old-ish" gaming setup for free. How do I utilitise it to the max?

[Sisrace]

Hello. So I recently got an old desktop from someone I know because he had gotten a new computer. He said that the gpu had given up. (It worked perfectly when I tried it)

So now I'm sitting here with a pretty powerful system that I have no idea what to do with.

 

Specs: 

Cpu: AMD 8350

Gpu: RX 290

Ram: 16GB

Psu: 650W.

Cooling: Noctua D-15, think it's their flagship model.

No harddrive.

 

First of all, i struggled to get this machine to post. The bios wouldn't initiate or anything. Turns out that the motherboard didn't like to have a harddrive connected. Tried updating the bios, the bios didn't update. Swapped from 32gb ram to 16gb, put in a freshly formated drive and a Windows installation stick, managed to install Windows and I got it to boot. Great. It's working

 

So now. What do I use it for? Had some ideas, I have a pretty awesome Ethernet connection in my apparentment (1Gb/s!), so I thought I'd run a few game servers on it. That would use the 8350. But I would still have an R9 290 just sitting there doing nothing. Could I use it for mining? Or would that make too much noise? 290s get loud, no fun in having a vacuum cleaner on for 24/7. And would mining with a 290 even gain me anything? 

Another thought would be to use it as an HTCP, but I would still want to run servers, having a noisy system on in my livingroom/bedroom wouldn't be very nice. 

Lastly, I thought I'd use it as a mix-up of NAS, game server and server for other random projects, but again, then I would have a 290 doing absolutely nothing. 

 

Any other ideas? Thoughts on how I can utilize the GPU? Is there any gain from selling it?

 

 

[TVwazhere]

4 minutes ago, Sisrace said:

Any other ideas? Thoughts on how I can utilize the GPU? Is there any gain from selling it?

Perhaps "donate" your hardware via Folding@home?

 

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

Get a 4770K and a Z97 itx board on eBay and have a killer LAN rig

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, Sisrace said:

Hello. So I recently got an old desktop from someone I know because he had gotten a new computer. He said that the gpu had given up.

So now I'm sitting here with a pretty powerful system that I have no idea what to do with.

 

Specs: 

Cpu: AMD 8350

Gpu: RX 290

Ram: 16GB

Psu: 650W.

Cooling: Noctua D-15, this it's their flagship model.

No harddrive.

 

First of all, i struggled to get this machine to post. The bios wouldn't initiate or anything. Turns out that the motherboard didn't like to have a harddrive connected. Tried updating the bios, the bios didn't update. Swapped from 32gb ram to 16gb, put in a freshly formated drive and a Windows installation stick, managed to install Windows and I got it to boot. Great. It's working

 

So now. What do I use it for? Had some ideas, I have a pretty awesome Ethernet connection in my apparentment (1Gb/s!), so I thought I'd run a few game servers on it. That would use the 8350. But I would still have an R9 290 just sitting there doing nothing. Could I use it for mining? Or would that make too much noise? 290s get loud, no fun in having a vacuum cleaner on for 24/7. And would mining with a 290 even gain me anything? 

Another thought would be to use it as an HTCP, but I would still want to run servers, having a noisy system on in my livingroom/bedroom wouldn't be very nice. 

Lastly, I thought I'd use it as a mix-up of NAS, game server and server for other random projects, but again, then I would have a 290 doing absolutely nothing. 

 

Any other ideas? Thoughts on how I can utilize the GPU? Is there any gain from selling it?

 

 

 

Mining isn't worth it - plus you have to have over 2gb of memory, not sure what you are carrying on that GPU, just to join the blockchain - heck I think its over 4gb now?  I don't know I quit following when I heard they were changing the algorithm so GPU's are no longer going to be worthwhile for mining.

 

I wouldn't use it as an HTPC - ONLY for 1 reason - power usage - BUT one day I will be retiring my old gaming rig in my sig, similar to yours, and it will be my HTPC that replaces the i5 proprietary HP model I have frankensteined simply because its a better mobo, expandability etc

[Ashleyyyy]

secondary pc to run Linux just to try and learn Linux for fun?

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

1 minute ago, firelighter487 said:

secondary pc to run Linux just to try and learn Linux for fun?

USB boot bruh

[Ashleyyyy]

2 hours ago, OrbitalBuzzsaw said:

USB boot bruh

usb sticks are not nearly as fast as ssd's. and i can see people wanting a dedicated Linux pc, because dual-booting isn't for everyone.

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

usb sticks are not nearly as fast as ssd's. and i can see people wanting a dedicated Linux pc, because dual-booting isn't for everyone.

I mean yeah but I don't think most people want to learn Linux, IMO he should get something like

 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dzHY29
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dzHY29/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel - Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($435.97 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox Q300L MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $475.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-27 16:09 EDT-0400

 

and have a bad ass LAN rig

[Zando_]

5 minutes ago, firelighter487 said:

secondary pc to run Linux just to try and learn Linux for fun?

Yes. Installed Linux Mint 19 on one of my alt PCs to test stuff, planning to get another GPU and test PCIe passthrough to a windows VM for games that don't run on Linux, and if that works I may swap my main rig over from being mainly Windows so I can be free of the random issues and annoyances Windows has. 

[PlayStation 2]

Personally I'd turn it into a personal TF2 and video recording server.

[Ashleyyyy]

2 hours ago, OrbitalBuzzsaw said:

I mean yeah but I don't think most people want to learn Linux, IMO he should get something like

 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dzHY29
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dzHY29/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel - Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($435.97 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox Q300L MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $475.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-27 16:09 EDT-0400

 

and have a bad ass LAN rig

sure. pay almost $500 for a 4 generation old machine. great idea!

 

(that was sarcasm)

 

2 hours ago, Zando Bob said:

Yes. Installed Linux Mint 19 on one of my alt PCs to test stuff, planning to get another GPU and test PCIe passthrough to a windows VM for games that don't run on Linux, and if that works I may swap my main rig over from being mainly Windows so I can be free of the random issues and annoyances Windows has. 

if you need help with that i can help set up pci-e passthrough.

[Zando_]

2 minutes ago, firelighter487 said:

if you need help with that i can help set up pci-e passthrough.

May take you up on that once I get a second GPU to put in my rig. 

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

2 minutes ago, firelighter487 said:

sure. pay almost $500 for a 4 generation old machine. great idea!

 

(that was sarcasm)

 

if you need help with that i can help set up pci-e passthrough.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gigabyte-Intel-Z97-Motherboard-GA-Z97M-D3H-LGA-1150-DDR3-mATX-DVI-HDMI-USB3-4K/142926579747?epid=1539604810&hash=item2147168823:g:OZgAAOSwAclbjevF

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Working-Intel-Core-i7-4770K-3-5GHz-Quad-Core-CM8064601464206-Processor/192665970661?epid=165707671&hash=item2cdbc967e5:g:cD0AAOSwSYpbpWlq

[Ashleyyyy]

2 hours ago, Zando Bob said:

May take you up on that once I get a second GPU to put in my rig. 

sure. no problem!

[Ashleyyyy]

2 hours ago, OrbitalBuzzsaw said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gigabyte-Intel-Z97-Motherboard-GA-Z97M-D3H-LGA-1150-DDR3-mATX-DVI-HDMI-USB3-4K/142926579747?epid=1539604810&hash=item2147168823:g:OZgAAOSwAclbjevF

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Working-Intel-Core-i7-4770K-3-5GHz-Quad-Core-CM8064601464206-Processor/192665970661?epid=165707671&hash=item2cdbc967e5:g:cD0AAOSwSYpbpWlq

still. about $250? come on. that defeates the whole purpose of finding a use for that free cpu and mobo the OP got. then the OP will have that stuff sitting around, which is not the point of this thread at all.

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

still. about $250? come on. that defeates the whole purpose of finding a use for that free cpu and mobo the OP got. then the OP will have that stuff sitting around, which is not the point of this thread at all.

Sell them. Should get about $100 for it all in, and going to a half decent CPU is worth that IMO

[Daniel644]

sell the computer and donate the money to the poor, those old AMD systems suck by modern standards, we have an FX 6300 at the office and my 1700 is quite literally TWICE AS FAST! (like i setup a CPU rendered animation and it was calling for an 8 hour estimated render time on the 6300 and so I took it home and the 1700 was a 4 hour estimated render time for the exact same file) and uses roughly the same amount of power from the wall.

16 hours ago, Tristerin said:

 

Mining isn't worth it - plus you have to have over 2gb of memory, not sure what you are carrying on that GPU, just to join the blockchain - heck I think its over 4gb now?  I don't know I quit following when I heard they were changing the algorithm so GPU's are no longer going to be worthwhile for mining.

 

I wouldn't use it as an HTPC - ONLY for 1 reason - power usage - BUT one day I will be retiring my old gaming rig in my sig, similar to yours, and it will be my HTPC that replaces the i5 proprietary HP model I have frankensteined simply because its a better mobo, expandability etc

common misconception, the only thing you can't mine because of memory capacity is Ethereum (and potentially any of it's forks that also have a DAG file of sufficient size), plenty of other coins can be mined, the problem comes down to the same issue you have with making it an HTPC, the power draw is to high to make it worth it, there just won't be any profits even with really cheap electricity.

 

this is the ultimate issue with older higher end AMD hardware, it's not good enough at it's IPC to compete with modern CPU's for gaming and to high a power usage for something like a media server where a $60 G4560 (or closest modern equivalent) will be under full load at less watts then the 8350 idles at making the 8350 and 290 nothing more then a space heater.