Any Links for Really Cheap PCs?

[Glaine]

I plan to make a Track & Field cocktail and I'm wanting to find the cheapest deal on a PC to run preatty much just Dos Mame doing T&F. Anyone know a distributor of older Pentium 1/2s? (Will P1  run T&F? My P1 laptop wont...) or any other suggestions. I want to later on make other look-alike cabs and will need more PCs when that time comes. Don't really want to spend very much on em either.

I have a 486 right now that was donated to me, but mame won't run because it says I lack a co-processor.

[HagHore]

Just get on ebay and look for pentium 1 machines.  you can usually pick one up for less than $30 ($1 for the pc and $29 for shipping, they always get you on the shipping).

Try this link
http://stores.ebay.com/Inexpensive-Computer-Parts_Computers_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

[stevodevo]

I'm wondering if the version of mame will determine whether or not your P1 can handle running it.  Perhaps try running an earlier version of mame?  Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

stevodevo

[countchocula8]

if you dont mind refurbs, dell outlet usually have great deals on pc's and laptops. they restock around 20-til every hour and these usually go really quick.  i will mostly buy another comp for my cab through this option.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/default.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dfh&~ck=bt

[IntruderAlert]

make sure that you have an AGP slot if you're planning to use ArcadeVGA

[heffe2001]

If you want somthing that will run pretty much any Mame game, you might also want to look at Dells' Outrageous Deals page on the Small Business site.  They have some awesome deals right now, even have a PC for a bit over 319 with a 17" Tube monitor (Celeron 2.4 I believe), or you can go for around 449 for a 2.8ghz P4 256m 40g, with a 17" flat panel.  While that might not be what you want to put in your cab, maybe you can replace your main PC and stick the older one in the cab (assuming you're using an old PC right now).  I would think though the 319 machine would work fine for probably 95% of all the mame games, only ones you might have problems with are the NeoGeo & newer games (and the ones that require CHD files, they won't even run on my 3.4ghz P4 and be able to play 'em).

AND anybody can buy from the Business site, you don't have to prove you're a business at all.  I've been ordering from there for years and had them deliver to my home without any problems.

[IntruderAlert]

I've looked at some of the Dell's
many of the newer models no longer have an AGP slot so be careful when choosing

[Tailgunner]

Any apartment complexes near you? You'd be surprised how many MAME usable old systems get thrown away when people move out. The best time to check will be the last week of a given month, people's leases are up and they're cleaning out whatever the can to keep from having to move it.

[ray_slup]

sometimes you can find a old pc at thrift stores

[Glaine]

Ya see, this is why this forum owns!!! Useful information, no one is peeved at my Q's, just good chaps. Thanks all for your replies, I'll check through on these. I really don't wanna have to rely on e-bay cuz I'd like to have a reliable source on these, though I guess hoping for a producer of obsolete machines is stupid too.

Just the same, I'll be kicking these ideas around.

In other news, I found a 17" moniter in the Dumpster today at work. Guess it was Free-Stuff-Friday for me. Wouldn't work though, it was taking power but wouldn't take any kinda signal. O well. I just parted a few things off it and prolly gonna put it back in the dumpster Wednesday.

[Craig]

In other news, I found a 17" moniter in the Dumpster today at work. Guess it was Free-Stuff-Friday for me. Wouldn't work though, it was taking power but wouldn't take any kinda signal. O well. I just parted a few things off it and prolly gonna put it back in the dumpster Wednesday.

That's why it was dumped. If it was working it would more likely be placed on the side of the road. I have picked up numerous stuff on the side of the road near my place. I got a 15" monitor, 3 Pentium 1 working machines and with ram. I sold a bunch of it on ebay and got a pocket full of money. Oh yeah I picked up a 10 Gig HDD in perfect order and sold it on ebay for 30 bucks.

Ebay is good but don't buy from people who charge rediculous prices for shipping. Also if they don't list the shipping price, get them to send you a price otherwise forget it.

I have found that Pentium II 350's are cheap. Maybe look at one of them. In Australia, they can usually be picked up for less than $15 AUD.

[IntruderAlert]

Yeah.. always ask before you bid

I was looking at a computer earlier this week
It was a really good price but the shipping amount was not listed so I asked him for a quote
He said it was like $150.00 or something stupid like that

A lot of people jack up the shipping so that they won't have to pay ebay their percentage of the sale

Always ask and there will be no surprises

[jer2665]

Check out big companies around your area, see if they have surplus/salvage stores.  We have Pratt and Whitney here in Connecticut, they have a salvage store that they dump their old computers in, for cheap.  It's usally there for a while, because not many people are looking for p1's anymore, plus they have a ton of power supplies, monitors, all kindsa stuff.  Possibly check around for that.

[JoyMonkey]

If you don't mind driving to pick one up, CraigsList is always a good source for anything cheap. It's a huge free online classifieds community. Most major cities are covered and there's usually people giving away old PCs for nothing (sometimes they post saying "I just put this old computer on the curb on the corner of Johnson and 23rd St- someone take it before the garbage man does")

[SirPoonga]

www.tigerdirect.com  watch for rebates.

[paigeoliver]

Just go on ebay and search for a 300 mhzish computer, search by "closest first", it will go for like $10-$20 and then go pick it up.