8 Ways to Repurpose Your Old PC That Can’t Run Windows 11
From October 2025, common editions of Home windows 10 will now not obtain safety updates, however you may not be capable of improve your laptop to Home windows 11 resulting from its strict {hardware} necessities. That does not imply you need to throw that PC out but! There are many nice methods you’ll be able to repurpose your laptop.
1. Set up Linux As an alternative
Linux has many distros which are greater than able to changing Home windows for the overwhelming majority of customers. All crucial productiveness software program works on Linux, and most of the people actually solely want a browser to get most issues executed.
In case you’re a gamer, you needn’t give all of it up both, since gaming on Linux continues to get higher. There are many nice Linux distros for rookies; normally, you do not have to take away Home windows to attempt them.
2. Use It as a NAS
Cloud storage is nice, nevertheless it stops working when the web goes down, is proscribed by your web velocity, and comes with some privateness issues. So why not take your outdated laptop and switch it right into a NAS (Community Hooked up Storage) server.
Stuff a number of low cost onerous drives in there, load the NAS working system and software program of your selection, and let everybody retailer and entry information in your quick native LAN.
3. Make a Streaming Server
That is adjoining to the thought of turning your laptop right into a NAS, however with the added potential to stream video content material out of your private assortment of movies to anybody in your community (or outdoors it, relying in your setup.)
You should use a business answer resembling establishing a Plex server, or you’ll be able to flip your laptop right into a DLNA media server.
4. Host Your Personal E-book Library
You probably have a group of e-books, comedian books, or every other documentation, you need to use software program resembling Caliber to arrange and serve them to your machine like tablets or e-readers.
5. Make a Devoted Gaming Server
Many multiplayer video games finally lose reputation and the variety of servers grow to be fewer and fewer—and worse in high quality. If there is a sure sport you like that is quick in servers today, you need to use your outdated laptop to host a devoted server for that sport.
Whether or not you’ll be able to run that devoted server on a non-Home windows working system will rely upon the precise sport, however it may be a good way to create a quick, personal sport server for your self and your pals.
6. Create Your Personal Net Server
Normally, when creating and internet hosting an internet site, you’d pay a internet hosting service for house on their servers, however you’ll be able to merely flip your laptop into an internet host and have full management over your web site. That stated, not everybody can host an internet server on a house connection as a result of many ISPs particularly forbid it.
Assuming your ISP is okay with you internet hosting an internet server on your house connection, it may be a cool option to run a small discussion board neighborhood or weblog. If you wish to run a website as a pastime and actually become familiar with the nuts and bolts of the method, this can be a nice option to get began.
7. Make a Hackintosh
Whereas many contemplate the times of the Hackintosh to be numbered, others would argue that Hackintoshes are nonetheless value it. In case your outdated laptop occurs to have a Hackintosh-friendly motherboard, CPU, and GPU, it is a good way of extending its life—so long as it should run a model of macOS that is nonetheless getting safety updates.
8. Construct an Arcade Cupboard
You’ll have seen initiatives the place individuals take small and cheap computer systems resembling a Raspberry Pi to make their very own arcade emulation cupboards (one in every of many nice Raspberry Pi initiatives.)
Your Home windows 10 laptop might be far more highly effective than a Pi, so it should work a deal with as the guts of an arcade cupboard. Because you already personal the PC a part of the equation, it ought to work out far cheaper than a pre-built system and you may simply purchase arcade cupboard kits from websites like Amazon.
Do not Let Home windows 11 Make E-waste
Whereas your laptop may not be appropriate with Home windows 11, it is nonetheless greater than able to serving as a useful machine for a lot of duties. It might be an actual disgrace in case your succesful laptop went to your native landfill for no purpose apart from Home windows 11 being too choosy about what {hardware} it should settle for.
So save the planet from but extra e-waste and repurpose that Home windows 10 laptop to offer it a brand new lease of life.
