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Old 09-18-2015, 03:13 PM
 
4,710 posts, read 7,071,133 times
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I have two computers that are no longer in use. Having transferred all the contents to my new computer (actually, my son did it) he is ready to 'wipe' the computer before it moves on. I know I can just take it to Goodwill, or another tech recycling place, but I am wondering if anyone knows of organizations that could actually use older computers. Should I donate it rather than taking it to be recycled? We haven't gotten as far with the second computer, but the same question applies. I also have a smallish flat monitor that works just fine, etc.

On almost the same topic, I have a box of miscellaneous and older cables. My nephew, who is an electronics engineer, already went through it to make sure none of these are useful to us (he took any cables that he thought could be reused in a setting other than my home.) So I am thinking these cables need to go to a metal recycling place. Anybody have any experience with that?
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Old 09-18-2015, 04:48 PM
 
Location: central Austin
7,228 posts, read 16,039,518 times
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The city of Austin will take them. Reclaim what is useful and securely shred the rest.

To be honest, old donated computers are the bane of non-profit organizations. They take a ton of maintenance and legacy knowledge to run and are often incompatible with current software and tech solutions. Almost any non-profit would prefer cash to buy new (often quite cheap computers like netbooks) and store data in a cloud system then deal with older systems. Many non-profits that do take them, don't actually use them, they recycle or sell them.
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Old 09-18-2015, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,243 posts, read 35,474,152 times
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Quote:
Many non-profits that do take them, don't actually use them, they recycle or sell them.
Goodwill often does this, but they do make a profit on them, so they don't really mind, at least as far as they have ever told me.
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Old 09-19-2015, 06:06 AM
 
Location: Round Rock, TX
1,317 posts, read 4,045,696 times
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I have a good friend who works for this organization and they take old computers and upgrade them to give to kids of needy families:

reglue.org
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Old 09-19-2015, 02:21 PM
bpb
 
46 posts, read 52,876 times
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Computers donated to any local Goodwill are moved to their Computer Works location, refurbished, and sold in that store. They reuse what they can and sell it, and recycle the rest. So, its provides jobs and recycles equipment.

I hadn't heard of reglue before, but that looks like a good program, too.
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Old 09-19-2015, 03:47 PM
 
4,710 posts, read 7,071,133 times
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Thanks, folks. I will try Reglue, and if that doesn't work for some reason, I will take them to Goodwill. I will write back in a week or two to let you know how it went.
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:50 PM
 
109 posts, read 147,893 times
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You can take it to Best Buy as well and have them recycle the thing. Just remember to remove the hard drive if there is anything sensitive on it or you can simply wipe it clean before you turn it in.
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