What can be done with old computer equipment? I have numerous old computers that I have no use for and I doubt that some of them would be useful to anyone. Any ideas? Is anyone recycling computers?
Thanks, Don
In our home town we have a place called Pathways of the Future. They will take old computers and fix them up. Give them to the senior citizens or to a needy family who can not afford to go out and buy a computer. You should check out in your town and see if there is something like that. - Margie (02/07/2001)
As a homeschooling mother years ago I went to a hands-on museam and guess what we found? A whole exhibit with computers that children could take apart and play around with. At that time we had a friend that repaired computers and he gave us several old ones to take apart. We also had a boy scout troop. Can you imagine a lot of boys of various ages around tables with tools? We let them take the computers apart and make things with them. The one I rememeber best was a small piece that looked like a bug and was made into a tietac. There were other items also but I will always remember that painted bug. :) So check with local schools. Our high school children had old computers donated to them. They are learning how to repair them and then the school uses them. So check with the schools, museams, and scouts. At last resort check with the crafts in your area. (02/07/2001)
By gravel
Many computer clubs refurbish old computers and then donate them to schools and needy children. Why not look for a computer club in your area and donate your old computers to them. Dee (02/07/2001)
By deewalker310
Check your local Schools sometimes they take them and refurbish them for the students to use. - Jo (02/08/2001)
There are many recycling programs for equipment in local areas. Check with your local officials to see what they recommend for recycling equipment. - Susan (02/08/2001)
Find a program in a nearby city or town where they reprogram and rebuild newer systems for reading programs and for schools. Or take parts and pieces out and makes X-mas decorations for a computer friend or relative or a computer themed X-mas tree. - Rachel (02/08/2001)
I can't believe I just read this question and today I read the answer in my new Good Housekeeping Mag. They said.... "If your old PC is a 486 or better, the National Cristina Foundation (800-CRISTINA) will match the computer with a needy organization and pick it up from your home. To donate an ancient or nonworking computer, call your local Goodwill, 800-664-6577. The recycling service of IBM will collect (and refurbish if needed) computer; $29.99 for home pickup. Call 888-SHOP-IBM, reference number 06P7513. Kim (02/08/2001)
By kaowen
You have a lot of what to do with old computers. I am sure there is a person in your town, who works on computers, independently and probably will be more than glad to buy them from you. However, what ever you do with the computers, make sure you remove the hard drive from it or someone esle can can find information on them that you may not want them to find. Check into this. (11/08/2001)
By fayth81
Dude, soupe it up, throw in an Intel Celeron D processor, upgrade the motherboard/chipset, 2 gigs of ram, new hard drives, cd/dvd burner, 22" LCD monitor, thats a hecka good idea!!!!
(07/21/2005)
By Computer Nerd
You could use it as a server of some kind. (08/06/2005)
By Brock
you can use old computers for anything i use an old P2 laptop as my web server- webbspinner.com and i use another p2 for space file server, throw in a NIC card and some decent sized harddrives and you can store files you dont want cluddering you good computer. look on google theres a ton of things you can do (05/19/2006)
By joshua webb
i have a Penitum 100mhz with 64mb acting as a file server on my home network, and a Pentium MMX 200mhz machine with 128mb set up as a dedicated web browser. there are many uses and i hate to see people throw something away because it is "too old". i refurbish them, give them fresh Windows installations, and donate or sell them cheaply around my area. (08/19/2006)
By TechDude
I don't know why, but I have a compulsive interest in reusing that which others deem as garbage, and I am not talking about actual garbage. Computers are one of those area's. I set up an old computer for my grandparents to use for internet and solitair, that's really about all it can do too. I also fixed up a win95 based machine to replace a deaf neighbor's broken win3.1 based system. All he does is play solitair. I took his broken computer(beyond repair) and made fridge magnets out of the cpu and ram by useing the rare earth magnets out of the hdd. My next project is an old pentium 180 Gateway from the 90's, my plan is to make it into a nintendo emulator game machine to be hooked up to the tv. Because I am cheap, I have never bought my own a game console, but I grew up in the 80's where I became addicted to the old nintendo and super nintendo so this beast of a machine will get a lot of use if I can make it work. (01/19/2007)
By Ryan
Install linux on it, hook up a joystick, load up all the free linux games, (a lot are cheezy but what the heck, some are Fun!) my reccomendation would be PCLinuxOS.
If you plan on recycling, and are worried about your data find and run Darik's boot and nuke. DBAN will securely erase all your info, totally wiping it, and it's free. (06/06/2007)
By Zeusmorg
try Freecycle. Someone in your area is bound to want them, be it a charity or an individual. Otherwise use them as coasters (bits of) and placemats or make into jewellery (06/06/2007)
By
There's a Salvation Army Store in an affluent area my husband the teacher always goes to to buy used computers for his kids/classrooms. Schools are always looking for donations. Sometimes they even have computer technicians to fix them all up - You would be surprised what can be useful to them...We have re-used printers, monitors, keyboards, and hardrives. The kids aren't necessarily on the internet - & sometimes only need limited memory for playing education software and for keyboarding... (06/06/2007)
By pam munro
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
