Old PCs

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by twobellies, Feb 20, 2006.

  1. twobellies

    twobellies Bit Poster

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    Hi people,

    I am studying for A+ in my own time and was wondering where is the best place to pick up an old desktop PC to mess around with etc....

    Tom
     
    Certifications: none yet!
    WIP: A+ N+
  2. zimbo
    Honorary Member

    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    umm my best bet would be ebay... one place i got a few things for my lab (even delivered to cyprus for me!!) is Computer Reclaim 8)
     
    Certifications: B.Sc, MCDST & MCSA
    WIP: M.Sc - Computer Forensics
  3. twobellies

    twobellies Bit Poster

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    Thanks I'll give that a try!

    tom
     
    Certifications: none yet!
    WIP: A+ N+
  4. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Other sources:

    Second hand dealers at computer fairs

    Local free-ad rags (although some people have an inflated idea of the worth of their old PCs!)

    Local dealers wanting to throw PCs taken in part-ex

    Freecycle

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
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  5. twobellies

    twobellies Bit Poster

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    Nice one Harry! I'll see if my local repair shop has anything he wants to dispose of.

    Tom
     
    Certifications: none yet!
    WIP: A+ N+
  6. Boycie
    Honorary Member

    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    While Ebay is great for literally everything when it comes to desktop PC's the cost for delivery is usually £20 plus....
     
    Certifications: MCSA 2003, MCDST, A+, N+, CTT+, MCT
  7. Colloghi

    Colloghi Kilobyte Poster

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    Find out where your local car boot is and pop along, tons of computer equipment for cheap on decent car boot :)
     
    Certifications: A+, MCP 270, 271, MCDST
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  8. Flipside

    Flipside Bit Poster

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    Very true. Although this significantly cuts down your choice the best thing is to choose an item you're prepared to collect.
     
    WIP: A+
  9. Paul_o

    Paul_o Nibble Poster

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    Have a look to see if there is a freecycle group in your area, i know round here there is always someone getting rid of old PC's for nothing.
    Paul.
     
    Certifications: C&G Advanced diploma in network support
  10. moominboy

    moominboy Gigabyte Poster

    i yellow paged "computer" etc, and found a company that i think just take in crap, do it up and sell it on, full, semi-decent system, 40 bucks.
     
    Certifications: ECDL
    WIP: A+
  11. UCHEEKYMONKEY
    Honorary Member

    UCHEEKYMONKEY R.I.P - gone but never forgotten. Gold Member

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    Besides Free ads and Ebay what about Micromart?

    there are plenty of private ads in there for old pcs and adverts for computer fairs.

    Andy 8)

    ==============================================

    My brain hurts everytime I learn something new
     
    Certifications: Comptia A+
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  12. Tahrey

    Tahrey Bit Poster

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    make sure everyone you know (friends, family, people at work if you're currently employed...) is aware you're on the hunt for old banger type PCs, and watch them come out of the woodwork with offers as they replace their own old ones. i've got three now stacked up here waiting for me to finish fixing them up so i can give them away charidee style to deserving causes like nurseries etc

    you may have to also accept the odd part here and there as people upgrade, but i made my own PC for no pounds no pence in this way back in't day :)
    (old 486 box chucked by someone getting an ATX tower... an AT MMX-class motherboard and chip... 40mb ram... 1.2gb disc... vanilla pci video and 14" just-about-SVGA monitor... floppy disc, cdrom, keyboard, mouse, sound card... old versions of windows / works / etc... a deskjet 500 mono printer.... ok it was all behind the times stuff and very basic, but it was my own PC, I could do my schoolwork/play games without having to relinquish to someone else, and it didn't cost a bean!)
     
    Certifications: GCSE in IT... and that's it
    WIP: ECDL / Whatever finally seems right
  13. The_Geek

    The_Geek Megabyte Poster

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    Coworkers are usually the best bet. I coworker of mine just brought me 2 old 700mhz/512 meg/30 gig machines that I'm going to put Linux on, and the best part is they were free.
     
    Certifications: CompTIA and Micro$oft
    WIP: PDI+
  14. Raffaz

    Raffaz Kebab Lover Gold Member

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    Gotta be ebay, or friends, or friends of friends who have replaced a comp and arent using them. Ive even got broke ones and repaired them off friends and used them.

    Mick
     
    Certifications: A+, MCP, MCDST, AutoCAD
    WIP: Rennovating my house
  15. tuvanit

    tuvanit Nibble Poster

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    "Core 2 Duo" Coming! From then on my pc is old style of world :(( "Pentium"
     
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  16. Kerfuffle

    Kerfuffle Nibble Poster

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    There's gonna be a limit to how useful equipment is, the older it gets.

    I mean, I've got bits of old computers that I've been given over time and with all these bits I'll be able to squeeze out 2 desktops with 32mb Ram in each. Both are P2s. Oh, and an old 300mhz Compaq laptop.

    I may be wrong but it doesn't seem to me the ideal setup to, say, practice Server / client networking stuff on.

    I'm saying this because I'm gonna be going for the Microsoft route next with my exams.
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, ITIL v3, 70-270
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  17. Baba O'Riley

    Baba O'Riley Gigabyte Poster

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    Why not? If all you want it for is testing and you can install whatever you need on it, you don't need bleeding edge performance (although 32MB is pushing it :D ).
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+
    WIP: 70-270
  18. Mr.Cheeks

    Mr.Cheeks 1st ever Gold Member! Gold Member

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    or if you have a decent spec machine, you can run some Virtual PC or VM Ware... then that will save space and no need to collect!
     
  19. Clyde

    Clyde Megabyte Poster

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    you could try your local authority, though I suspect if you try go go through offical channels you'll get nowhere. If you have contacts try getting some old kit. Where I work now we have so much old kit clogging up the basement it's embarrassing. We should be getting rid of upwards of 100 old crt monitors soon and it's the recyclers for them.. I'm sure some will disappear en route.. same for old pcs... some organisations are only too happy to be rid of them...
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA, MCSE
    WIP: MCITP

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