Getting PCs that businesses throw out

[evident]

I have this great looking Coolermaster Centurion pc case w/ a nice seasonic 400W power supply that i never use. I don't want to buy another mb/ram/cpu/hd to build another PC because i simply don't need another one. I already have a two laptops, not including my work or my gf's laptops... i'm waiting for one of my friends to ask me to build them a cheap PC and i'll just price these parts in

 

[lxskllr]

I got a Centurion cheap(free?) a couple years ago, and built an office PC with it. It's a great case, and I didn't like giving it up, but I didn't really need it either. I'd have rather used that, and used my current case for the build, but a side window and LED lights aren't the best choice for an office environment :^D

 

[alkemyst]

Serial number on the computer is traceable back to the original owner. A business dumping a piece of equipment known to contain high amounts of heavy metals is a fineable offense. It's amazing to me how different the rules are for individuals vs businesses.

QFT

 

[0roo0roo]

pretty sure big companies deal with some pc recycler that takes them off their hands for cheap or a small return.
and end up on ebay... esp laptops off their lease.

 

[JoeBleed]

It may not be as cheap, but if you search for "off lease" desktop or computer you should be able to find some. You can surely find them at tigerdirect. But sometimes CL will have some company moving or going out of business selling their old hardware. you just have to keep an eye out.

 

[lothar]

Serial number on the computer is traceable back to the original owner. A business dumping a piece of equipment known to contain high amounts of heavy metals is a fineable offense. It's amazing to me how different the rules are for individuals vs businesses.

When you say "serial number" are you referring computers sold by Dell, HP, etc??? If so, that makes sense. How does that work for people who built their own computer?

If I bought an ASUS motherboard and RAM from Newegg, PSU from ZZF, Videocard from Superbiiz and put it all in a dumpster 2 miles away, how will they know it belongs to me? I doubt Newegg/ZZF/Superbiiz/or any online computer parts retailer keeps actual serial numbers of products sold to customers, but I may be wrong. When I bought my CPU from Micro Center last year, no rep wrote down the serial number.

I would love to see someone track the ASUS barebone kit I bought in 2002 when I was starting college, along with the remaining parts I bought off Newegg and Googlegear.
Would make for an interesting exercise.

 

[lothar]

Your local government doesn't run an electronic waste collection day every now and again?

Been living here for over 10+ years, never noticed it. I'm sure if I called them they would tell me there is a special site for that and refer me to dump them there.

But as far as scheduling pickups in the neighborhood? Not aware of it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Drive around middle class neighborhoods every trash day. At least a couple times a year here I see computers on the sidewalk just leaving my neighborhood, so if you did it regularly you'd get stuff.

Waste Management here won't take PC's. You have to take them to a recycle center and pay by the pound to have them dispose of it.

 

[lothar]

Waste Management here won't take PC's. You have to take them to a recycle center and pay by the pound to have them dispose of it.

I suspect that's how ours is as well.

In that case, one is better off donating to salvation army and letting them dispose of the junk however they please or give it to someone who needs it.
You can also get a tax deduction depending on how much your junk is worth.

 

[Fallingwater]

Go to offices, politely ask them if they have unused hardware they can part with. Many of them will be happy to give you as much stuff as they can - it costs them a fair bit of money to get rid of electronic trash, so anyone who reduces that cost is welcome.
Be aware that some might want you to get rid of ALL the unused hardware (which may require a truck or two).

I've done this myself several times. I never got anything as useful as a P4, but I did get plenty of older computers in various states of repair, most of which I dismantled for the drives, power supplies and fans. I also got several hard-to-find dot-matrix printers (a few of which worked flawlessly), a professional UPS with dead batteries (easy to fix), some power tools that had been left in a box, and other assorted hardware.

 

[alkemyst]

I do all or nothing when I list stuff...too much of a hassle to have 100 people show up and then want "the best ones".

I have blown out 200 CRTs this way (in groups of 100, 75 and 25), 4 HP 5Si class printers, 100+ Dell GX270/280 machines with bad capacitors, etc.

Now there are companies that come to me and get the stuff.

 

[feralkid]

Serial number on the computer is traceable back to the original owner. A business dumping a piece of equipment known to contain high amounts of heavy metals is a fineable offense. It's amazing to me how different the rules are for individuals vs businesses.

Still seems kind of weak considering serial numbers can be removed before they dump them.

 

[hanoverphist]

How can they fine someone if they don't know who dumped it? That's an unenforceable law.

they charge the person that is renting the dumpster. we have ours locked because our asshole neighbors like to put AC compressors in our trash to avoid having to dispose of them correctly.

i pack mine on a pallet when i replace stuff and donate the whole pallet to school districts around the valley.

 

[Connoisseur]

If you know anyone at a medium to large company, they typically hold auctions for older model laptops. After they run out of warranty, businesses have to get rid of them somehow to make space for the newer hardware and would rather make some money than just recycle them. I've purchased several Thinkpads for friends the past few years through my company. They're usually 2 generations behind the latest and greatest (i/e X31s when most ppl have X61s and X200s).

 

[alkemyst]

Still seems kind of weak considering serial numbers can be removed before they dump them.

Considering many PC's have at least three on them some printed on the machine directly it'd be more expensive to have some drone doing this for a few hundred assets rather than pay someone to take them properly away.