Where to find oooooold computer parts for cheap/free?

[tonyr1988]

School's finishing up this semester, and I need something to fill up my time during the summer. I want to get a computer and experiment with it - I want to go through Linux from Scratch, install LinuxBIOS, etc...But I don't want to spend much on it. Do you guys know of anyplace to get cheap (or free) computer parts? Performance doesn't matter at all - it can be a 256MHz processor with 64MB RAM - I just need something.

Thanks!

[notwen]

Define cheap, you'd be surprised what a small amount of money can get.

[stmiller]

www.craigslist.org

or ask a local computer shop if they have any old parts they want to toss out.

[aeiah]

if you know anyone who works in an office see if they can ask for old computers that are about to be thrown out. i got a dell p4 with 256mb ram for £20 from my dads work. someone who works here got one off our company for free

[Anduu]

The public landfill in my area has a building set up and run by volunteers as a salvage center.Rather than throwing everything away people are encouraged to deposit their unwanted but still functional stuff there.

For a modest donation everyone is free to shop there.I always see old computers,printers etc in there.

See if a similar program is available in your area.

[K.Mandla]

Recycling centers are sometimes good sources. You can also post an ad in a local newspaper, and sometimes you get stuff given to you just so the owner can be free of it.

If you're in the U.S. and you want bulk machines, check out PublicSurplus.com. In that case you'd be looking at pallets of machines though, and transportation is your responsibility. :shock:

[cogadh]

www.freecycle.org

If they have a group in your area, it can be a great place to get old computer parts 100% free.

[LaRoza]

See: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=745905

Computer: $15
NIC: $0.97
Hard disk: Free (got it from someone whose computer died, and I did data recovery on the old hard disk and got to keep it after I gave the date over)
RAM: $3.00

Specs now:

* 600 Mhz Intel Celeron
* 256 MB RAM
* 20 GB hard disk

< $20

[lemuriaX]

Try garage sales...I've had great success picking up old PC's and parts there.

[jrusso2]

Goodwill stores often have the whole PC for very cheap. You can salvage the parts or maybe it will work whole.

Also salvation army stores.

[DarkStarAeon]

just come empty out my garage, lol

Seriously though, if you happen to be in the U.S., most states have places that recycle or have cheap or free computer parts.

Where I live there is a place called REstore that I get a lot of stuff from.

[Wiebelhaus]

www.craigslist.org

or ask a local computer shop if they have any old parts they want to toss out.

Aye , We unload heaps of full old systems on the local school , the students refurb them and donate them to places.

I'd ask the local shop , if the guys are as cool as we are , they'll give one or two or more to you.

[Wiebelhaus]

just come empty out my garage, lol

Seriously though, if you happen to be in the U.S., most states have places that recycle or have cheap or free computer parts.

Where I live there is a place called REstore that I get a lot of stuff from.

Aye , Hell the Salvation army in my area has a used computer shop.

[tonyr1988]

See: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=745905

Computer: $15
NIC: $0.97
Hard disk: Free (got it from someone whose computer died, and I did data recovery on the old hard disk and got to keep it after I gave the date over)
RAM: $3.00

Specs now:

* 600 Mhz Intel Celeron
* 256 MB RAM
* 20 GB hard disk

< $20

Now that is the price range I'm looking at! :D

[MethodOne]

I gave several parts that I obtained from family, friends, and a college computer sale, including some pre-G3 Macs, some old IBM PCs, a switch, and a video card, to people on my local Freecycle mailing list. Other than Freecycle, you can try Craigslist.

[elmer_42]

I feel so lucky. My city has a swap meet every weekend. You can get systems like that for $15, no joke. :D

[LaRoza]

Now that is the price range I'm looking at! :D

Post in the Community Market, lots of people want to get rid of old hardware and will send it for not much more than the shipping cost.

[tonyr1988]

Post in the Community Market, lots of people want to get rid of old hardware and will send it for not much more than the shipping cost.

Thanks for the tip - I've never seen that subforum before. I need to hang out in the bottom half more often.

In that case, sorry for posting this thread in the wrong spot. Then again, it's the Community Cafe...:)

[Bungo Pony]

I'm usually lucky with finding PCs by the curb for free. Then I take the interesting contents off the hard drive and post it on my blog :D

[LaRoza]

I'm usually lucky with finding PCs by the curb for free. Then I take the interesting contents off the hard drive and post it on my blog :D

Yeah, when Windows dies, the computer goes. That is how I got the hard disk for the computer I mentioned above.

[lemuriaX]

Usually the main thing I end up short on in my computer scavenging project is RAM.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a great place to order RAM for older style motherboards?

[Joeb454]

Have you searched ebay. Things tend to be overpriced on there, but sometimes you can find something pretty decent :)