|
What to do with old software and hardwareI thought I saw a recent thread on this topic but a search only turned up threads months or years old.
What's the consensus on dealing with old (5+years) software and hardware? I've got a bunch of PI, PII, PIII boxes, assorted interface cards (modems, sound cards, NICs), and various software packages (Win95, Win98, old versions of Quicken, old games, etc.) taking up space that I can put to better use for the holidays. I'm sure the most common solution would be to e-cycle or donate; before I toss the whole lot of it out I'd like to make sure I'm not throwing away a gem that someone might be able to use (and make some cash in the process). I'm not looking to make a lot of dough nor am I looking to spend a lot of time dealing with it.
Other that eBay, Craigslist, and the various freecycle sites, is there a site somewhere where I might be able to gauge the demand for this stuff? |
|
wintek Premium Member join:2011-02-07 Haughton, LA |
wintek
Premium Member
2013-Nov-15 3:37 pm
|
|
Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA
1 recommendation |
to jcm1283
I had a pile of that stuff, tried to sell it for what it is, no takers.
When I listed it as "scrap for gold", my box of junk sold. |
|
jadinolfI love you Fred Premium Member join:2005-07-09 Ojai, CA |
jadinolf
Premium Member
2013-Nov-15 7:26 pm
I tried to sell a gig of PC3200 for $3.00. No takers. Cost me $105.00.
I threw it away.
I have more stuff so maybe I should throw that away too. |
|
|
|
to jcm1283
Software pitch and hardware - see if your county has an electronics drop off day. |
|
HarryH3 Premium Member join:2005-02-21
1 recommendation |
to jadinolf
said by jadinolf:I tried to sell a gig of PC3200 for $3.00. No takers. Dang! Sorry I missed that post! I still have some old junk that takes PC3200. But for the OP, there just isn't much demand for old stuff. The prices keep dropping for new stuff. I just recently found a receipt for a refurb Compaq Presario 5050 that I bought around 1999. It had a 266 Mhz Celeron, 96 MB of RAM and an 8 GB hard drive. My employee price on it was $770. That would buy a pretty bodacious PC today! The other problem with older hardware is that it just can't keep up with the demands of newer software, especially if there is any video involved. |
|
1 edit |
to jcm1283
I agree with the others. Except for a few rare collectibles (very early Apples, Sinclairs, possibly TRS-80), that old stuff is worth basically zero. Nothing that runs Win95 or later is considered a "gem". I go to a lot of ham radio/electronics swap meets and regularly see clean, fully functioning laptops good enough to run XP for less than $100. My vote is to dump it at the nearest recycler, or see if you can give it away on Craigslist. Back when I was running an eBay business, someone gave me about twenty VIC-20s. No one wanted them, even for $5 each. One day a guy came over to pick up something else he had bought from me, saw the pile of VICs in the garage, and offered me $25 for all. Hell yeah, I took it. And I even helped load them in his car. |
|
Hayward0 K A R - 1 2 0 C Premium Member join:2000-07-13 Key West, FL
1 recommendation |
Hayward0
Premium Member
2013-Nov-16 6:29 pm
Thats kind of surprising. VIC-20's were pretty useless. Now if they'd be C=64 I might have been interested my self. |
|
wth Premium Member join:2002-02-20 Iowa City,IA |
wth to jcm1283
Premium Member
2013-Nov-17 10:36 am
to jcm1283
I always remove the HDD and smash/destroy the platters, then junk the rest. |
|
|
to jcm1283
drop the stuff at the local bestbuy. |
|
Anonymous_Anonymous Premium Member join:2004-06-21 127.0.0.1 3 edits |
to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:I had a pile of that stuff, tried to sell it for what it is, no takers.
When I listed it as "scrap for gold", my box of junk sold. only old computers worth anything is pentium 1 and older... (has to be AT style) (Fully working condition) these computers could fetch upto $250 for laptops slightly less for desktops $50-200 depending on the configuration.. and vintage apple stuff such as apple 1 and apple 2 gen will fetch $200-3000 depending on the condition and what it is.. etc... I found a vintage apple ][ + It was broken but I made a lot of money off of it. it was headed for the dump too Talk about CASH in the trash...... also I could use a copy of that windows 95 and 98se |
|
Kilroy MVM join:2002-11-21 Saint Paul, MN
1 recommendation |
to jcm1283
In the past I passed down my old machine to my son. For my excess stuff Freecycle. I feel bad throwing it away when, other than being old, there is nothing wrong with it. For software I just tossed most of it. I'm so thankful that things are now mostly in electronic format. |
|
·Consolidated Com.. ·Republic Wireless ·Hollis Hosting
|
to jcm1283
I've recycled an unneeded desktop as a home server and another one to play with Ubuntu. But as others have said there is not much of a market for really old gear unless it has some historic or collector value. I've tried Craigslist without success to get rid of my old junk.
Our town has a tipping fee for ewaste. I just took a CRT monitor and old desktop to Staples. Store accepts computers even if you have not purchased it from them.
As far as software it typically just gets filed away - just in case. I even have a bunch of floppy software hanging around.
/tom |
|
|
to jcm1283
I can only imagine when they saw your list as scrap for gold.. Sadly,I don't think a lot of people will really take such.. |
|
your moderator at work
hidden : hidden :
|
FureverFurryRIP Daphne: 3/12/05 - 6/19/12 Premium Member join:2012-02-20 49xxx |
to jcm1283
Re: What to do with old software and hardwareIf anyone has a full retail version of ANY 64-bit Vista for sale, please PM me. Still looking for a copy. |
|
HarryH3 Premium Member join:2005-02-21 |
HarryH3
Premium Member
2013-Dec-8 10:34 am
Does the 64-bit version of Vista require a special key? I'm pretty sure that Win 7 doesn't care about 32 vs. 64 bit. The key only determines what level you get, i.e. Starter, Home, Home Premium, Pro, Ultimate, etc. |
|
FureverFurryRIP Daphne: 3/12/05 - 6/19/12 Premium Member join:2012-02-20 49xxx Zoom 5341J ARRIS WBM760 Vonage VDV-21
|
It is preinstalled with a COA and license key. Bottom line: I want to install Vista on a new(er) 64-bit PC -- legitimate copies of Vista are scarcer than hen's teeth. (Long story but I need Vista -- not newer.) |
|
|
just to note, I immediately went to Win7 from Vista due to constant crashes. I could barely run the Vista (Bare) Professional for no more than 15min. unless you have SOLID drivers that have been fully tested, I would object even looking at vista. Just like win8, Vista, and WinME... |
|
HarryH3 Premium Member join:2005-02-21 |
to FureverFurry
But that doesn't answer the question: Does the 64-bit version of Vista require a special key that is unique to the 64-bit install? With Win 7 the same key will work with either of the 32-bit or 64-bit install. Have you tried to install 64-bit Vista on the new PC? Getting the install disk is easy, you just need a license key. Check out the right column here: » www.gegeek.com/documents ··· 807.html |
|
|
Same key for both, at least for Technet licensing. |
|
John Galt6Forward, March Premium Member join:2004-09-30 Happy Camp |
to Hayward0
said by Hayward0:Thats kind of surprising. VIC-20's were pretty useless. VIC-20's make great controllers for automation projects. |
|