New use for older desktop computer?

I have a Windows XP desktop computer, maybe 7 years old, that still works fine but is used by no one in the house. I already have an external USB drive to back up our main computer.

What’s a practical/fun use for this machine? Some server-type function, maybe for music/video files for playback on the main computer or on our Xbox 360? Maybe some home automation project?

Irregularly shaped uncushioned ottoman.

Someone mentioned on one of these threads that they took an old computer and hooked it up to a tv in their work out room for streaming Netflix.

You could use it as a processing box for SETI @ Home.

One of the best uses I’ve seen for an older computer that I’ve seen in a while.

Link

Or you could set it up as a home media server. Use it to send movies & music to all the televisions in your home.

ETA: Or Google Home Media Server for many more ways to do the same.

That’s exactly what I did with my old Pentium 4. I’m using FreeNAS as my server software and it works great!

There are also organizations that take computers considered obsolete here, and donate them to places that have a good use for them.