No doubt buying a new computer is an exciting business; however, throwing an old PC in a bin is not the best use for a piece of technology. Remember the fact that once this piece of technology was at the cutting edge. So, think twice before throwing this expensive machine away. Now the million dollar question arises what to do with your old one? The answer to this question is if your PC is too old, then the best option is to take it to the recycling center of your authority. Make sure you securely erase any personal data before disposing of your computer. Most recycling centers accept both computers and monitors, but if they do not, then throwing away a working machine is a waste.
So here are some tips you should know before throwing your old computer away:
1. Sell Your PC to Help the Needy
Selling something you no longer use makes sense, so, sell your computer to benefit the needy. Selling an old machine is a good option; however, where and how to sell an old PC is a primary concern? To make your task easy, you can either start searching on eBay for auctions for your model or check online at what price other sellers are selling PCs of a similar specification. If sale prices seem low in comparison to what you paid for the new PC, then do not dismay yourself for not getting a reasonable price for your PC.
As beyond a certain age, PCs become effectively worthless so, they do not hold price as good as the actual one. However, there are also cases when a private sale through the small ads published in a local newspaper offers more money than an auction. So, you can sell your old computer either by giving an advertisement in a newspaper or checking and comparing online sales. Before selling, make sure to securely erase all personal data from any storage devices, sign out of any online accounts and delete your Windows user account. You can also reformat the hard drive and reinstall a fresh copy of Windows.
2. Offer Your Machine to a Family Member, Friend, or Relative
If your old PC has no monetary value, it does not mean your PC is not useful to someone. As long as your PC is in a working condition, then either a family member, relative or friend can put it to good use, primarily if they cannot afford to buy a new computer. Above that, this machine is useful for older people who want to learn to operate a PC for the first time, but not in a mood to buy a new computer for the reason if they are unable to grasp it. So, to give them a taste of the web in the start, an old and slow PC is more than sufficient.
3. Donate Your Machine
If you do not know anyone who needs an old PC, then ask a local school or a charitable organization whether they are willing to accept your old computer or not. Working on computers of any age are always in demand at establishments that are short of funds. An old PC also gives valuable experience to the people who are fresh with the web, and simple applications such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel. Because of these advantages and for practical classes, schools often show interest in an old computer.
4. Use Your Machine for Running a Distributed Computing Project
In case you are determined to hang your old PC then instead of donating your old equipment for a good cause, use it to run a distributed computing project. Distributed computing is a branch of computer science which studies distributed systems. Also, this branch relies on computers around the world donating their ‘spare’ time in performing calculations for scientific projects, for cancer research, and to search for life on other planets. So, in this manner utilize your machine for a noble cause.
5. Rescue Your Machine for Spare Parts
If a PC is all useless in its entire state, then also you can put your old machine to good use by using its spare parts. For desktop PCs, you can use the hardware of your computers such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, hard disk, RAM, and many more. For instance, you can install your old hard drive in your new PC as a secondary D: drive which is a much quicker way than transferring the files by any other method. You can also sell RAM, keyboard, monitor, hard disk, and many other parts of your computer.
6. Use Your Machine for Practice PC Building
If you desire of building a desktop PC at your own, then you can start by taking one part apart and putting it back together. For beginners, this methodology is an excellent way because a computer contains a daunting tangle of cables and complicated parts inside the machine. Once you know how everything fits together, then you can disassemble the PC only in a couple of minutes.
Before disassembling and reassembling a computer, make sure you take necessary safety precautions such as unplug the machine from the mains, ground yourself against static electricity, never remove the power supply of your computer, and use the appropriate tools. Also, carefully follow the online guides to computer building to avoid making a dreadful mistake and breaking something.
So, above are the valuable tips to keep in mind before throwing your old machine away.