What are the best things to do with old hardware?

TidBITS Talk
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Thrift stores. Then your stuff can live in someone else’s closet, or even get used again. Old hardware has the advantage of being much more reparable than modern hardware, so it’s worth letting it have a chance to keep doing something.

There are a reasonable number of people who crave old hardware for use, fixing, spare parts, repurposing, or just to try to figure out what the danged thing is. Most of them haunt thrift stores. I have a friend who’s one of them, which means that I don’t have to do any old-stuff shopping myself. About half of my old hardware came indirectly from goodwill which is one of the unknown/broken hardware friendly thrifts, at least in the puget sound area. Some was working at purchase, some my friend fixed first. It’s not all perfect, e.g. my old laptop batteries don’t hold a charge and new replacements aren’t available. But chargers, cables, adapters, peripherals and other odds and ends are also readily available and you can help keep that flow going.

You do want to make sure that any drives are wiped or removed, because many or most buyers will snoop, and that ‘dead’ hard drive may not really be dead.

Working old hardware can have many modern uses. iTunes 10 on a 2006 mini for a cloudless no-grief music server; 2010 Mac Pro for folding@home during the heating season; 2011 mini as a dedicated Aperture machine; luxo lamp imac and 12" titanium powerbook for ppc tiger and classic (strategic conquest & berkeley logo); internal and external file servers; laptop with a dead motherboard converted to a raspberry pi laptop (a coworker, not me (yet))…

All of the mac desktops running Tiger and newer can handle screen sharing without a fuss, so you don’t need monitors for them. Many pre-tiger systems can run vnc if you install software for it. You do need one monitor for troubleshooting or to build a system, but size and quality don’t matter if you’re mostly going to be screen sharing.

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This is all true. I was glad a few years ago that I’d held onto an old G3 Power Mac. My sister had an exhibition coming up and while she had DVDs of her older video pieces, she had to project using small digital players. I could launch her old iMovieHD projects and export Masters from them, far better than ripping a DVD. Screen shared to my MBpro no issues. I’d forgotten about that G3, we edited our first feature film on it, on then new Final Cut, that’s also in the attic.

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That’s something that worries me with a lot of the old Macs, since if I can’t turn them on to erase the hard drive, the only way to deal would be to extract it, which makes the Mac even less useful.

I also have literally stacks of old backup hard drives and VXA tapes.

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I can’t turn them on to erase the hard drive

If I remember right, the built-in utiilties did not do a stringent job of erasing disks anyway, so you’d need a third-party utility available for the job anyway.

I’ve always been a fan of disabling the drive mechanically. And it was fun to take them apart just to see how they worked. :slight_smile:

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That traditional “reformat” operation (called “Erase Disk” by most of Apple’s tools) don’t erase much. They wipe out and re-create the root directory and a few other structures, but leave the rest alone. This is why you can “erase” a large hard drive in less than a minute. It’s also why so-called “unformat” tools can work.

A tool that explicitly writes zeros (and/or other bit-patterns) to every disk block as a part of the erase procedure (various kinds of so-called “secure erase” tools) pretty much eliminates that problem.

There are methods that can theoretically recover data after overwriting media with zeros (directly accessing flash memory chips, bypassing the flash controller, or using a magnetic force microscope on hard drive platters), but I have yet to read anything about these techniques being used actually recover files (vs. just finding test patterns).

And a casual user who buys a used computer at a thrift shop is not going to disassemble the storage device and spend insane amounts of money on that kind of recovery unless they know in advance that there’s something that valuable to “recover”.

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You can put a ‘no hard drive’ label on the computer if you remove the drive. That will let regular people know they probably don’t want it. Lack of a drive is no problem for the old hardware folk because they probably have a closet full of them already. It best to leave any drive holder with the mac though (taped inside so it doesn’t rattle is best); they’re more of a pain to replace especially for IDE and scsi era drives.

Macs can do proper secure format with no problem in Disk Utility, at least as far back as Disk Utility existed. You need to erase the disk, not the volume. Select the ‘Seagate blah’ line in Disk Utility, not the indented ‘Macintosh HD’ line. (On recent systems, you’ll have to be in ‘Show All Devices’ view to do this.) Click on Erase, and there’s a Security Options… button. Select your desired level of wiping. More rewrites of random data will take longer, but for a small old disk that may not be too bad.

In the future, when Macs with T chips start getting old enough to pass on, if possible you should boot into Recovery and at least enable booting from external drives and probably turn off Secure Boot. Otherwise it may not be useable as a computer in short order. Since the T chips hardware encrypt the internal SSD, a simple erase of the data volume while in Recovery should be enough.

[Actually. you should enable external booting for your new hardware, too, unless you think you might be targeted. Being able to boot from an external drive is often the only way to get a computer working again if there’s a problem.]

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Older machines (pre-T chip): Any that are too old to run a reasonably secure version of macOS (and which version you believe is secure is up to you and your god) may usually be set up with Linux and occasionally even Windows 10 (regardless of the presence/absence of Boot Camp). 4GB machines (two slot models) from 2008/2009 often do okay with 4GB and Windows (although I’m seeing some reticence with the newest version of Windows) and usually with Linux.

But the more important thing is whether you or the next user really has any need for an old beastie possibly struggling with Windows or even running Linux okay. Is there a reason to do this besides “you can”? I’ve been offering such machines “free to a good home” and it’s rare that anyone really even wants to drive across town to pick 'em up. :rofl:

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I also struggle with the power requirements of running old hardware “just because I can.” Sure, I could spin up an old Mac as some sort of a server, but it has to feel like it’s worth consuming the electricity.

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I’m not sure what to do with my 1989 Macintosh IIx — my first Mac — which I have set up in my basement office. Yes, it still runs (I had to replace a pair of batteries on the logic board to revive it last year). The rational side of me points out that I can’t actually use it for anything, but the nostalgic side of me can’t quite part with it.

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Our SE 30, our very first Mac, holds a place of honor in a closet. We also have a 9600, 8600 and a MacBook Pro. We keep them around in case of emergencies, or we need to look at something on floppy or a Zip drive, which happens occasionally. Everything else was passed along or donated.

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IMG_0748
IMG_07481280×854 1.34 MB

Placing all this equipment in the back of the garbage truck was such an important event that I took a photo! Headed to the landfill included a PowerMac, my old Motorola StarMax clone, a couple ImageWriters and Extended Keyboards. I recall I even “donated” one or two, old “Toasters”. (This was 16-years ago. Please send all condescending laments to biteme-at-blackhole-dot-com.) :wink:

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Quite the museum! When I retired my last floppy-equipped Mac, I bought an external floppy drive with a USB interface. It shares closet space with my Zip drive (also USB). Perhaps you can still get those devices?

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I get asked about this constantly, so I’ve keep track of a bunch of options in my database. Here it is, forgive me if I haven’t edited it:

Find nice homes for the gear:
Low End Mac Swap
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/lemswap

Also you might try the LEMSwap group
which is the for sale forum for the Low End Mac (LEM) group. You could offer it up for free with the cost of shipping (if no local takers) for the cost of
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/lemswap

Apple Rescue of Denver specializes in rescuing and finding new homes for the wonderful Apple II and Macintosh computers.
There are complete systems available along with hard to find parts, peripherals, software and manuals to help keep these amazing computers working.

http://www.applerescueofdenver.com

Gone app:
http://thegoneapp.com/
In the Bay Area, New York, Seattle, & Austin

If it still works and is viable they will sell it, if not it is recycled responsibly. PORTLAND
http://www.freegeek.org/

https://www.ifixit.com/Info/Device_Donations

see:

http://www.ugnn.com/2012/10/recycle-old-computers/

Sell/Recycle Your Electronics
http://www.YouRenew.com

There are several excellent organizations that you could donate your old computers to:

Verizon is committed to helping the nearly one in four women, one
in seven men and more than 3 million children in the United States
affected by domestic violence. HopeLine is helping to end this
epidemic by collecting no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories
and turning them into support for domestic violence organizations
nationwide. Through HopeLine hundreds of thousands of phones have come
in, and millions of dollars in cash grants have been awarded to
partner agencies.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/aboutus/hopeline/index.html

Freecycle is an online free recycling/gifting movement designed to keep tangible items out of landfills…a lot of computers get tossed out and there are many people who can use an old computer or a part from that computer.
http://www.freecycle.org

Computers for Kids will pick up your old computer, do any refurb needed, and set it up as a student computer at some elementary school. They’ll give you a tax deduction as well.
415-459-5247.
http://www.c4konline.org/
http://www.cfkidaho.org/

Gazelle will take you old Macs even if they have no value. They will recycle and triple wipe your data.

In some big cities the Goodwill has centralized stores that carry nothing but old computer equipment. As a last resort it might be worth seeing if your city has such a Goodwill store.

e.g.:

http://www.austincomputerworks.org/

http://www.goodwillswpa.org/computer-store

http://www.houstoncomputerworks.org/

http://www.goodwill-oregon.org/GoodwillComputerStore/

http://www.goodwillbigbend.com/stores/computerelectronic-store/

Apple has a Reuse and Recycling Program.


The updated service allows anyone to send their old computers and monitors to Apple to be recycled for free – regardless of brand.

You may even get an Apple Gift Card for your old equipment.

try here: http://groups.google.com/group/lemswap?pli=1
it’s only mac trades

Staples does have a nice program for free electronics recycling. A few of our customers have used it to clean out their closets full of old, dead tech.
http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/easy-on-the-planet/recycling-and-eco-services.html

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This was an interesting reading:

«Vintage electronics for trusted radiation measurements and verified dismantlement of nuclear weapons (Journal Article) | OSTI.GOV »

https://www.osti.gov/pages/biblio/1616454-vintage-electronics-trusted-radiation-measurements-verified-dismantlement-nuclear-weapons

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You’d be surprised what sells on ebay. I recently unloaded a vintage Zip drive with SCSI interface, a Nintendo GameBoy, an audio cassette guided tour of MacWrite and MacPaint, and the Mac version of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The best way to check for the market is to search for what you have on ebay and see what people are trying to sell it for. To see what they actually sold for, do an “advanced” search (an option at the far right end of the screen) and check the option to search for “sold listings”. You’ll find that some things never sell, but others may be worthwhile.

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Priceless, surely.

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Please try FIREFOX. I hope to hear of a pleasant outcome!

I have a 20" 2007 iMac with a pitiful Core2 Duo processor now has El Capitan on it. I found that FIREFOX has an up-to-date browser that runs on it that also supports 1PasswordX and works just great for what it is.

Actually, (profanity suppressed) I am more pleased with 1Password on THAT computer than I am on Mojave as the latest 1Password upgrade (7.5) killed its extension in Safari and nothing I’ve tried has come close to re-enabling it, so it is back to running the full 1Password-copy-cut-and-paste all the damn time until I can get some tech support somewhere. I am not a fan of 1Password7.

May 20, 2020 update: for anyone curious, I am using 1Password v6 on my 2007 20" El Capitan machine out of necessity as v7 requires a macOS upgrade which is not possible on a Core2 Duo based iMac. The machine is surprisingly peppy on usual day to day work. My newer I7 4Core iMacsmokes it surprisingly on Internet work, I suppose because of the cache sharing.

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Re: StuartJ
I have ended up converting my iMac to a dual-boot Linux machine. It is an interesting process (still in progress) -if folks are interested I could share the “long version”. Firefox runs fine in Ubuntu (Linux) --but is useless in OS 10.6.
About 1Password; I have been using it form “day 1” but version 7 is a total disaster: bloated, buggy, unmanagabe even for long-time users and I’m no fan of the subscription model. I am using V6 which is a bit bloated but works fine so far. Once V6 is disabled I will SADLY switch to another password manager. It was nice while it lasted but I stopped recommending what was my “go to” app for many years.

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I have a habit of anthropomorphizing equipment that has served me well or had a significant impact on my life or career. Then I become sentimental about it. Some things I have no intention of parting with, like the original Apple ][ Plus I bought in high school (and still works!). That little machine literally set the course for my college studies and entire career. I also have the original 9” beige Macintosh (still working!) I bought in 1984 while working at the computer store where I previously bought the Apple ][.

OK, stupid, I know. But when it comes to all the computers since then, I keep thinking that it’s a shame for them to end up in the trash or being recycled if there are folks out there that could part them out. Several times I’ve been either frustrated by a lack of parts for something or grateful somebody still had some.

I’ve also been interested in donating some of them to museums. Particularly if they still work, it seems that they could still bring joy to someone, somewhere.

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The Museum Of Printing in Haverhill, MA is actively soliciting old Macs and LaserWriters:

“The Museum has recently acquired a couple of Macintosh Plus’s, initiating coverage of the new era in composition. Donations of a matching LaserWriter+, older Macs, or software to match would be most appreciated. Donations of current or intervening or prior digital type hardware and software would also be appreciated.”

They also have a great library of books and documentation about hardware, software and history related to graphic arts, and they appreciate donations of these materials as well. Macs are a major presence due to the fact that they revolutionized and continue to be of major importance to the industry. My husband is a journalist specializing in graphic arts for decades and was involved in the launch of the museum. We’re big fans. We’re sorry we didn’t hold on to our first generation LaserWriter to donate it.

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