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7 cool ways to reuse your old CPU and

motherboard
By Tanveer Singh – 4 days ago

PC Build Guide

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PC builders are often left with a spare CPU and motherboard when moving to a newer
processor and motherboard socket. Other components, such as the graphics card,
RAM, storage, cooler, and power supplies, are easily carried over to the new system as
long as they're compatible with the new CPU and motherboard. This leaves users

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wondering whether to scrap their old CPU & motherboard combo or find an
alternative.

The latter is where this article comes in, helping you take the thinking part out of the
equation and focus only on which DIY project suits your fancy. You could reuse your
old components to create your own NAS, learn something new such as delidding or
soldering, create cool artwork to remember your beloved components, or simply pass
them over to a loved one with a technical bent of mind.

RELATED
Grant a second life to your old PC with these 8 fun projects

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7
Give them to a friend or family member
It's technically still DIY

Handing over your old PC or components to someone in need might not seem
creative, but it's still a great use of hardware you're not using anymore. An old CPU
and motherboard, in particular, can get a young family member started on a new PC
build or at least spark an interest in PC hardware. If your old CPU and motherboard
aren't ancient, they can hold some value for someone who simply needs a budget
home/office PC.

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Building a PC also requires a GPU, memory, storage, and power supply, at the very
least. However, a CPU with integrated graphics takes care of the display department,
whereas RAM, SSD, and PSU can be purchased from the used market at nominal
costs. Even if there are concerns about buying old PC components, you only really
need a new PSU; everything else can still be bought used.

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7 coolest things to do with your old PC instead of throwing it away

6
Build your own NAS

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It might be time to take control of your data

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While you can always buy an off-the-shelf NAS device, reusing your old PC hardware
to build your own NAS is much more satisfying. Your spare CPU and motherboard
could be the foundation of your DIY NAS, but you still need some storage drives,
memory, a power supply, and a case (still optional). The most significant cost here
would be the storage, but you can reuse old hard drives that you might not prefer on
your new PC.

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You'll also need a GPU for display output during the setup process, but the good news
is that you can remove the GPU once you've installed the OS of your choice (TrueNAS
Core, UnRAID, OpenMediaVault, etc.). So, even if your old CPU lacks integrated
graphics, you only need your attached storage to boot automatically once the system
restarts.

RELATED
How to make a NAS with Raspberry Pi

5
Learn to solder on your old motherboard
Time to solder on

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 
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One doesn't simply start soldering out of the blue, but if you're already into DIY PC
projects, you might be itching to get this skill under your belt. It turns out that an old
motherboard is the perfect playground to get started on your soldering journey. Just
ensure you don't need the motherboard for anything else, get a soldering iron and
solder wire, clean the motherboard with flux, and fire up a YouTube tutorial to get your
solder on.

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Practicing soldering and desoldering on an old motherboard can be perfect for you to
understand how to apply heat properly, clean the tip, apply solder to the joint, and
remove the soldering iron at the right time. Once you're confident in your skills, you
can move on to more advanced projects involving repairs or other inventive
applications. You can also skip this one if you aren't comfortable — just watch some
tutorials to decide.

RELATED
Here are 8 tools, accessories, and components every DIY
enthusiast needs


4
Delid the CPU with nothing to lose
Unlimited cooling, unlocked

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PC enthusiasts swear by delidding the CPU to achieve the lowest temperatures

possible, something that can't be done with the CPU IHS between the die and cooler. If
you're finally ready to learn how to delid a CPU, but don't want to experiment with
your primary CPU, consider making a guinea pig out of your old processor. This will
allow you to retain the warranty on your main CPU while you learn a new skill to keep
your CPU temps extremely low.

While delidding a CPU (even an old one) can be intimidating initially, you can learn the

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ropes with detailed tutorials and the right equipment. For instance, Thermal Grizzly's
Delid-Die-Mate gadgets take most of the hard work out of CPU delidding, making the
process much less stressful. The risk of damaging the CPU is still there, especially with
more recent models, but hey, that's why you're learning on your old CPU.

RELATED
Let's settle this - how hot should your CPU run while gaming?

3
Create a memento of your old PC
Give your CPU and motherboard their due

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Passing down or potentially destroying your old CPU and motherboard aren't the only
things you can do with them. To pay your respects to your old hardware for years of
loyal service, you can choose to create a cool art piece to hang on the wall above your
new PC. You can take various approaches, but the easiest one is to design a cardboard
case for your CPU and motherboard combo and paint it the way you like before
installing it on your wall.

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Another approach could be removing individual components from your motherboard

— capacitors, VRMs, heatsinks, CPU socket, chipset — and arranging them inventively
on a canvas or cardboard to create a cool, blown-up artwork. This one will take a lot
more time, but the results can be rewarding, making the exercise worth it.

This project can be used to create a sort of tomb to mark the resting place of your old
CPU and motherboard, something you can always look at and wax nostalgic about the
good time you had together.

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 12

2
Create a CPU keychain
You gotta try this at least once

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Turning an old piece of silicon into a keychain you use daily ought to be one of the
coolest ways to amp up your CPU's afterlife. This project works best if your old CPU
package is LGA type, meaning it has no pins on the processor itself. Otherwise, you'll
probably want to remove the pins before using it daily, simply for more convenience.

The process is fairly simple. The only modification you need to do, aside from
potentially removing the pins from a PGA-type CPU, is to make a hole in the corner of

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the substrate (the green base of the CPU package). Older Intel CPUs will probably
already have holes in the corners, but you will need to create a new one with a drill.
Again, do this only if you're confident in using power tools and don't have any use for
the old or dead CPU.

RELATED
These 5 signs could mean your CPU is about to die

1
Honor the "heart" of your PC à la Tony Stark's arc
reactor
Go for the ultimate conversation starter

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The CPU is often called the brain of the computer, but I prefer calling it the heart
instead. If you concur, turning your old CPU into a cool collectible in the vein of Tony
Stark's original arc reactor might get you excited. If you remember Pepper Potts
sending Tony his old arc reactor inside a glass case, that's precisely what this project
is all about.

All you need is a cube-shaped glass case for your old CPU, a vertical stand/column to

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prop up your CPU inside the case, and whatever else you wish to adorn it with. These
could be other props, lights powered by a battery, or the IHS itself, removed carefully
from the CPU package. The result can be a beautiful reminder that your "old PC had a
heart" and something you can proudly showcase on your desk.

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

Your ancient CPU and motherboard aren't scrap metal

Old CPUs and motherboards are often left gathering dust in drawers or shipped to the
scrapyard when moving to a new computer. However, you can repurpose them in cool
and inventive ways to extend their life, learn new DIY skills, or create lasting
memories. All you need is some time, effort, and sometimes a bit of money to make it
happen. It's more about crafting cool new stuff out of seemingly useless PC hardware
than recycling or reusing old components, but that's a welcome bonus.

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 THREAD 4

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.

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Sort by: Popular

Sine

2025-01-01 17:27:08

7 cool ways to reuse your CPU and motherboard, and only 6 of them are throwing it away.

 5 


Derric

2025-01-01 09:05:33

I was going to build my own NAS but instead decided to build my son his first desktop gaming computer. It's not
ridiculously great as it only has an Intel i5-6600k, 16gb of ram, 500gb SSD, 2TB HDD, and an XFX RX 480 8gb.

 3  1


Rahul

2025-01-01 20:34:15

I’ve the exact same secondary pc minus the graphic card.. i had 1060 6gb i gave it to a friend.. now I’m in
dilemma whether to scrap this pc or use this for something. How’s it handling games and all??

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Link copied to clipboard

MiniWorldStickArchive12

2025-01-01 15:58:33

First just seems the most logical at all.

Imagine giving it to your dad and seeing how a gamer he is

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