What to do with an old computer?

[golfgal]

We have an old computer that really doesn't work much anymore. What do you do with old computers. I though about bringing it to the computer repair place in town and seeing if they could fix it up enough to use for a word processor but I think I would rather get a new computer. The kids are needing it more and more everyday for school projects and they usually involve the internet. Will they take them for parts? I would like to erase the hard drive too since we did have our banking information and other info on there.

The schools don't need them and this one is older then what the schools have anyway. We don't have a shelter or anything like that here. Can you put them in the dump?

 

[salmoneous]

Not only can't you give them away, in some cases you can't even throw them away. With all the toxic chemicals in them, more and more towns are charging a hazardous disposal fee.

 

[Marseeya]

Do you live in a neighborhood? We just put an old computer out on our front porch and within a few hours, someone was knocking on our door asking for it. That's pretty much all we have to do around here with old televisions, stereos, furniture, etc.

 

[gris gris]

If you can't figure out how to wipe the hard drive, just take it out of the computer and then get rid of the PC (you can't just throw it in the dump though). You can use a magnet to erase the drive once you have it out, or smash it with a hammer, then toss it. Around here there are recycle days for household electronics at the dump, but it doesn't happen very often. Or maybe check with a store like CompUSA to see if they take them to be recycled.

Just thought of something else - when we ordered our new Dell PC they had a program where they took your old one to be recycled for free. You have to choose the recycle option and an instruction kit comes with the new PC.

I like the front porch idea

 

[DisneyWacker]

You might want to try selling it on ebay. List it for $0.01+actual S&H. Someone will probably take it off your hands.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Offer it up on your local Freecycle group. We ALWAYS have people looking for computers on our Freecycle. That's where I got my computer- free, and it was a step up from the one we had. Went from a Mac G3 to a Mac G4.

Jackie

 

[magiccouple2004]

i have an hp laptop that is just sitting around that i need to get rid of as well. it still works (not that great) i think it just needs to be upgraded i just went and bought a new one so didnt have to deal with it going away my job needs me to have a computer so i couldnt wait for the old one to get back so it is just sitting in the corner

 

[bicker]

A sledgehammer is an effective means of wiping a hard disk clean.

I actually just took the hard drive out of my old computer and put it into my new computer as a slave.

 

[aprilgail2]

I take the hard drive out and beat it with a screwdriver and hammer...and around here you just put the old ones out on trash day and the garbage men toss it in the truck with the rest of the junk...