QOTW: What do you do with your old PC components?

[pollaxe]

I keep a lot of it. I've not long got an old Ivy Bridge Hackintosh going in an old Cooler Master case, like the one in the photo, that I was never quite able to get rid of because I liked it so much. Some of it goes into other projects (like the aforementioned Hack), helping others when something goes pop on their own systems and very, very occasionally it goes to eBay (which I find a bit of a hassle) or to CEX (where you don't get much but it's less hassle than eBay.)

However, I definitely keep too much. I have a Corsair 800D tucked away in attic because it's 'too nice/potentially useful' to get rid of, even though one of the top USB 3 ports no longer works. I also have a couple of micro ATX and Mini ITX cases still, just on the off chance they'll be useful.

[Spud1]

It depends..if its still worth enough money I will often sell it, but I do keep a fair amount. Some things are just special too - I have my old 486DX, my first K62-333, the Athlon XP that I got an 800mhz overclock on etc on a shelf as I can't bring myself to get rid

Similar to old consoles - I still have a saturn, dreamcast, megadrive, n64, gamecube etc, and my first generation ipod (and much much more) - none of the above are really worth anything (apart from that ipod) but I am a bit of a horder/colector When I move house I plan to have a room especially for my old IT kit, bit sad but we all need a hobby

[graylok]

I upgrade close friends and family PC's with high end leftovers, the rest go into building computers for people of limited means.

[karandar]

I've always been a bit of an old part hoarder. Friends and family all know that if they have a problem with their older rigs, I can likely fix it for them. Many now offer me their 'dead' PC's/laptops and such before they just dump them at the recycler.

I generally have 2 -3 generations of running PC in my home, and I hand one down every couple of years to a needing, deserving individual or family - and not necessarily my oldest either

[Otherhand]

I always give mine away, one way or another. First to pick are friends and family, but I've given computers to charities too. If I've got parts I can't get rid of any other way, then I have a local Greencycle group with users who'll come and take whatever I've got. I'm happy to let other people try and fix broken pieces if they think they can.

[Noxvayl]

Keep/sell/put into secondary computers.

I've got a thread up selling a bunch of my stuff that I really shouldn't be keeping.

[anselhelm]

I've been hooking them all up together, wired directly into a nuclear-powered generator, and hoping against hope that they gain sentience and destroy humanity.

Isn't that what everyone does?

[3s-gtech]

Few different fates:

Repurposed into a machine for my parents (started off as an Athlon 700 on slot A, upgraded separately through the years). When they're finished with the parts, they are worthless and get recycled.
My old graphics cards go into my PC at work.
Much of my old hardware has gone to work to serve other jobs - things like my old CPUs and DDR2 RAM.
Occasional things get sold (motherboards and CPUs that still have some value).
Old HDDs get kept indefinitely.

[dylanlaw79]

eBay them and help pay for the parts I've replaced them with...usually coming up very short after paying the scandelous selling fees etc.

[Unique]

i upgrade my machines on a regular basis, many items just keep getting added without bits being taken out, but bits i take out i usually put in another machine. i rarely sell anything due to the time/hassle in getting a small amount back after shipping etc so have piles of old stuff lying around for ages before i realise no-one is going to want that part in the current day or you can get a whole working tablet computer for £50 that plugs into the tv so no-one will want a huge ancient celeron desktop. i use old drives as extra backups

[nar53]

Usually use them to upgrade my Son's PC & then sell on what evers left over.

[pastymuncher]

Usually sell them on to fund upgrades.

[capdauntless]

Depends on the hardware but most of the real old stuff is re-purposed if possible otherwise I try to get what I can off kijiji for it.

[failquail]

Mostly hand-me-downs to family/friends. with the occasional ebay selling of more expensive parts.

My little brother for instance, has spent probably around £40 in total (RAM upgrade) on PC hardware in the last 10 years, for he just gets whatever comes off my gaming PC when i upgrade something

[DDY]

I usually sell or give away things that are still valuable enough to warrant the effort.

Some things I keep in the parts bin to scavenge components if ever I need to, other things that have next to no value but look pretty are saved for future art projects.

[SlickR]

Throw them in the garbage.