Best way to get rid of computer?

[cavers5]

I wasn't sure where to post this and no...I already know I can beat the bum thing with my bat, toss it out the window, or shoot it with my guns!

What is want to know is: I have two computers that crashed on us, but there are still good parts to them, such as the monitors and modems. Is there any way to get cash for old computer parts that are still good?

Also, I heard that the boards be recycled for the gold on them? Does anybody know how to do this? Hey, at 1,000 an ounce, I'm willing to try it!

Thanks,
Cavers5

[lumbercamp]

Funny you mention shooting your computer. When mine died last year my son and I shot ours up. Only problem is, we were shooting point blank with a 22 and the computer screen was such thick glass, it stopped the bullets.

[cavers5]

Ahem...sir...might I recommend a .30-.30? Does wonders!

I know we can sell the parts on Ebay, but it probably wouldn't be worth the effort since they are outdated.

However, I really want the gold!!!! Even all the copper wiring is worth stripping at today's prices!

Somebody must be building something huge somewhere in the world! Honestly, the price of scrap tin has went so high that even we can't figure out where the huge demand is! China? U.S. War with Iraq? U.S. building nuke-proof shelters underground? Where is the demand?!!!

Cavers5

[emtrescue]

you could try ebay. I am in need of a socket 478 motherboard and a replacement (exact - Asus p4p800e-deluxe)is about 280.00 when I can buy a new MB for about 50.00 but I would need to change some other stuff too..... OR you could do like me and have enough parts lying around that you could build several computers.... Run some small versions of linux and they do just fine Heck I had 1 computer with 4 hard drives in it. Just wondering - what part crashed?

[Timberwolf]

Cavers5

Since I repair PCs, I probably do this different than most. I will keep an extra keyboard, mouse and monitor. All of the other keyboards, mice and monitors I try to sell in a garage sale, and if I can't sell them, they go to the dump. As far as the PCs, if they are outdated, I will take out the video card, sound card, network card (I don't mess with modems anymore) and RAM. Everything else goes to the dump. If the PC is not outdated, I keep in intact and usually give it to someone that needs it.

I have never looked into the gold thing or the copper wire. You might have something there, I don't know.

TW

[nhbenz]

Make sure to take the hard drive out, as personal information can easily be extracted from it.

[Timberwolf]

Opps....thanks NHbenz,

I forgot to mention the Hard Drive, CD-ROM and floppy drives. I keep these too.

TW

[Ken from Atlanta]

take the hard drives out and post the rest on craigs list, someone will want them. Or take them out and shoot them.

[cedarratt]

You can sell the boards and components and chips on eBay for gold scrap. I have had veering success doing that.

[cavers5]

Thanks. I already took it all apart and the hard drives are going to a cousin to extract whatever might be left on there that can be salvaged! However, I still have the boards, cards, monitors, keyboards, modems, cables, etc. etc.

Well, the motherboard went out on one of them. It wasn't a fuse or the power source as I know how to replace those. For some reason, this thing fried and I mean, literally fried. On the other one, I think it was something along the lines of a capacitor (?), not sure, although my cousin told me by the time I bought new motherboards, I could get a brand new computer, so I did!

It looks like there is enough scrap gold on the boards and cards to make it worthwhile. I just don't know how to recycle it! Does anyone know of any websites that explain how to do this?

Thanks,
Cavers5

[Smee]

I wasn't sure where to post this and no...I already know I can beat the bum thing with my bat, toss it out the window, or shoot it with my guns!

What is want to know is: I have two computers that crashed on us, but there are still good parts to them, such as the monitors and modems. Is there any way to get cash for old computer parts that are still good?

Also, I heard that the boards be recycled for the gold on them? Does anybody know how to do this? Hey, at 1,000 an ounce, I'm willing to try it!

Thanks,
Cavers5

OR . . .

In my computer shop, I will take in old computers and strip the working parts and place them in the bins I have.

Occasionally, a local civic organization will need computer work done and I will turn around and use these parts to help them save money. Do the same with persons who can't aford to buy new parts. Just charge labor to install the used parts.

Since I work at a discounted rate to begin with, they come out pretty cheap.

Check with the local repair shops. I got the idea from a shop in Atlanta. They will provide an entire computer to you if you are unable to afford one (provided they have them in stock), or the parts to fix yours.

[mastereagle22]

Before you get rid of the drives you better wipe them off good.

You would be amazed how many times I have been given older hard drives with info on them.

A simple format will not work! Google how to do it. I use a program to wipe mine before I dispose of them.

[Timberwolf]

ME is correct.

I use BCWipe, to wipe drives. The program is free to download off the Internet. The information on the drive will not be recoverable, if you use this program.
It uses D.O.D. wiping standards

TW

[MD Dog]

There is no such thing as a safe wipe including DOD, even they are subject to investigation. Burn your drives and bury the remenants in seperate locations.

[mastereagle22]

Unless you have been doing something really bad with your computer all you are trying to do is clean the drive of information that someone can use to steal your identity. Most of the times doing a DOD wipe will acheive this.

Burning and burrying parts works but seems awfully extreme to me! Just my opinion.

[MD Dog]

I know plenty of geeks that can retrieve info from so called wiped hard drives and the funniest part is that a number of them work on contract with the county sherrifs and state police.

[mastereagle22]

Yes I agree MD D there is always ways to get the data back if you really want to, unless the drive is PHYSICALLY destroyed.

But in this case I don't think that is what he needed to do.

[Timberwolf]

Our local police use some geeks out of Tulsa....so I'm told.

TW

[MD Dog]

If the good geeks can get private info from a wiped hard drive then I garauntee the bad ones can too.

[mastereagle22]

Again I agree, I just didn't think that anyone would want his info that bad.

Anyway there is no such thing as privacy and secure data anymore. If you have it and someone wants it they can get at it.