OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Hey Guys, what do you do with old PC parts?

I have two old desk tops, one is a 486 parts machine, which I have already taken apart. The other still works, but I am not sure if it is a 486 or later as it has win 95 installed.

I have the HD, Memory, CD, Floopy, MB, Sound Card, and modem from the 486. I think I will keep the chip as a artifact.

Oh ya, I also have the Pacard Bell desk top case with all the parts - minus the ones listed O/C.

I am looking to get rid of this crap, either donate it, or trash it. So if any one is interested in these old PC's and parts, let me know.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Old electronic equipment is a problem. Some office supply stores and computer stores will dispose of the equipment for a fee.

If at all possible you should wipe the hard drive clean (format with overwrite).

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

If its something you'd be really really bothered about someone else seeing then smash the hard drive. 'tis the only way to be sure.

The rest of the stuff would only be good together as a working system. Even then only for a really low end use. I do remember hearing about a charity collecting old PCs 'for Africa' quiet what they were doing with them I've no idea.

I mean if your an Ethiopian who refuses to move to an area that actually has rainfall it ain't going to do you much good to have an old 486. Your still going to starve unless someone gives you some food or you head to the south of the country. Where the are rain forests. Or is that heresy?

Blimey wandered of topic there.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Wouldn't a magnetic wiping erase everything off the HD without fear of having it recovered by someone with way too much time on their hands? I've always been under the impression that, used correctly, magnets will totally wipe your HD.

Little off topic, sorry.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Yes. Ensure you wipe the harddrive. There are several decent ones available for free.

I usually donate my old computers. I get more of a tax write-off than if I sold them and they go to worthy causes. Most places that accept computer donations don't care if they are in working condition or not. They use them for parts most of the time. There are probably some schools that would still want an older machine.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

If you do have way too much time on your hands then you can get anything of almost any HD. I remember the story of the data recovery firm that specialised in recovering vital data from utterly wrecked drives. Everything from torched drives to magnetically wiped ones.

The details are hazy but I do the guy saying there was no drive he couldn't recover data from given time and, of course, money.

Having said that a decent format and a re-writing over the entire disk should do it unless you're really paranoid or have the bad luck to sell it to someone with too much time on their hands who is out to get you.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Do not attempt to format/rewrite by yourself to clear a harddrive. Use the software. The software completely writes 0's , 1's, random, etc over the entire harddrive in several passes. Don't be surprised if it takes several hours to complete the wiping. Most software allows you to set the number of passes. There are those who say that they can recover data from such wiped harddrives, but without getting specific here, I can say that this method is used by many "companies" in the world to destroy sensitive data - and it is a very secure method.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Oh yeah of course you should get software to do it. Should have made that clear. Would these be the same "companies" that leave laptops full of sensitive stuff on trains, throw out whole computers and sell unformated hard drives on EBay? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Use them to play old games?

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

us it as a small family webserver http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif (if your ISP allows this) if you're a software developer even nicer things could be done with it (CVS repository, etc)

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Don't tell the ISP about it and don't use port 80. They will probably never find out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

hold on to it... 20 years from now sell it

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

It takes 10 times more machine to create anything than it does to serve it. It would easily be more ISP than you will ever need. And probably handle a couple dozen of your friends also. Unlimited web, unlimited email, personal IRC server, game host, whatever.

Gandalf parker

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Well I have scavanged 4 PC's today. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif The two Pentium II 400's are now officially both dead. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif I parted them out. I don't know what killed my first PII, nor do I know why the second one chose today to toss in the towel.

Any ways, the CPU's, SDRam, HD's, CDRoms, and Floppy's all seem to be good. The MB's I think are not well although I cannot be sure.

So I have all these parts, and no idea what to do with them.

Have any of you ever seen a Quantum Bigfoot 5.25 Series Hard Drive? It is one big solid HD. Its twice the size of a normal drive and very heavy.

Its also for sale.

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

SDRAM? What brand? What speed? What size?

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Yup, I have one installed in one of my systems...it is a samll one though http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif only 4 gig

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

This one is a 10 gig HD.

The sdram is FSB 100 - 128 and 256k

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

For a price HP will dispose of old HW.

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitiz...nment/recycle/

Otherwise, there are several donation sites, including this one with a searchable database.

http://sharetechnology.org

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

I sold the lot of parts for $100.00 US not including the Quantum HD. That I think I will hold onto. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Or so they would have you believe. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

The most secure method would be to wipe multiple times and physically mangle the platters. I've heard of places drilling several holes through the disks, melting them, and all sorts of other physical abuses. Strangely, I've yet to hear of anyone actually cutting the platters into several pieces and scattering them in different bags. Maybe the truly paranoid don't speak up. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

Throw them in an incinerator.

One of those industrial-strength ones.

Let's see anyone try to get data off of it after it's *Literally* melted! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: OT: Old Computer Parts
 

I just got rid of some very old PC's recently for the company I work for and the disposal company has a "Certifiable" HD destruction method. They randomly write over the complete drive a minimum of 20 times then they physically shred the drive - just like a paper shredder only for hard drives.

I saw a bucket of stuff that came out of the shredder. I could not see how anyone could put one of the drives back together. The pieces were smaller than 1/4 inch. I guess maybe if they shredded only 1 drive someone might be able to but get 5 drives shredded into the same bucket; well, it looks improbable if not impossible.