OT - Getting rid of old computer bits

[Chris]

Hi there,

After years of upgrading my pc, I'm left with a pile of (mostly functional) bits - drives, motherboards, processors, case, printer, monitors, you name it.

Does any one know of any recyclers / reusers that would take these, ideally near Portsmouth? Most reusers want complete pcs, Pent 200 minimum, most recyclers only deal with businesses.

I don't want any money for them, but I'd prefer not to have to pay to get rid of them. I hate stuff ending up in landfill at the best of times, but when it is a) toxic and b) functional I'm doubly unhappy.

Cheers,

Chris

[Scott Mills]

you can sell all this on ebay. You'll make a small profit, and it will go to a good home. In my experience of ebay, you can sell absolutely anything - even broken things. Someone will buy it if the price is right.

Scott

[Ian Stirling]

It depends. Not everything. For example, do a search in completed items on ebay, in computing, for items with an ending price of 0.

For newer stuff, it can work well. For example, I've bought 3 or 4 broken laptops, 3 broken cameras. One of the laptops was sold as not working, would not boot, and I had it working in half an hour. (the RAM was dead causing it not to boot.) For the other stuff, I've used it to repair another laptop, and am about to setup another of the broken laptops as a server, though it has no screen, it uses enough power less that it'll pay back the cost in electricity in a few months.

The cameras I also got two working.

However, for some stuff, there is no market. In general, if a new thing of similar function is over 300 quid, even broken ones will sell. If a new thing is under 20 quid, in many cases even working ones won't. Do a search in completed items for what you have to sell, and it'll give you an idea.

Look at similar items that sold, and did not sell, and compare the auctions.

[Nic o'demus]

You could try offering the parts on uk.adverts.computer , you might find someone there. hth nic.

[Zymurgy]

Chris wrote

Well, you've two other choices apart from Ebay already mentioned.

Box all the bits up and send them to me (i'll pay postage) or i'll collect.

Or.

Advertise the list on uk.adverts.computers and let people know a ballpark of what you want per item or 'best offer secures'.

It'll go, I assure you.

Cheers

Paul.

[Tony]

Give them to your local school - even primary schools will be able to get some use out of them.

Tony

[Dave Liquorice]

Unless the school has a teacher who has the required computer hardware skills I don't think this is good advice. Most schools do not have such a person. A secondary school that has a computer technology, aka a hardware course, might be able to make use of the parts. Ask first and talk to the teacher who will have to deal with the box of bits.

[Huge]

IME, schools want complete, working Pentiums. They're not interested in anything else.

[Chris Doran]

For a third choice, try the sale or swap shops at

Although it's American, UK people do lurk there, and listing is free AFAIK.

You might also do a Google search for any Portsmouth websites. There are lots of community-related sites around the country, and they often have "for sale" pages.

Chris

[geoff]

Is there a Linux group in your area?

[Huge]

There was an article on The Register today about a website devoted to getting rid of old stuff -

perhaps?