OldPCGuy

Homelab and old hardware

Cartoon of Brandon in headphones kneeling with a giant floppy disk labeled DATA next to an old computer

I run a three-node Proxmox cluster at home, and my e-waste pickups bring in a steady stream of retired business hardware. These guides are about what old hardware is still good for, and what's better off in the scrap pile.

Start here

Turn an Old PC Into a Home Server

New to this? This covers the hardware, the software, and how to reach your server safely from outside the house.

Homelab and old hardware guides

  • Tiny PCs for Home and Homelab

    Used Lenovo Tiny, Dell OptiPlex Micro, and HP Mini PCs: which to buy, what they cost to run, and what they can do.

    Published
  • Old Servers at Home: Worth It?

    The power bill, noise, and age problems of retired rack servers, from someone who scraps a lot of them.

    Published
  • The 2013 Mac Pro in 2026

    macOS limits, OpenCore, Windows, Linux, and upgrades for the cylinder "trash can" Mac Pro.

    Published
  • Turn an Old PC Into a Home Server

    File storage, media, ad blocking, and smart-home software on an old PC, and how to reach it safely.

    Published
  • CasaOS vs ZimaOS

    Two easy home-server systems from the same company, compared for an old PC, including the free and paid limits.

    Published
  • Proxmox Cluster on Mini PCs

    Why three nodes, quorum, shared NAS storage, setup steps, and what runs on my three-node homelab cluster.

    Published