Online Sources For Older Hardware? 16
hubie asks: "We all know that Linux runs well on older hardware, and with the rate hardware becomes outdated there must be a lot of it out there. However I have a hard time finding older hardware to fill out an old 486 or Pentium system. I find local computer shops are very hit-and-miss in terms of what they have, and contrary to what some people suggest in articles, businesses in my area are not just putting these older systems out on the curb for junk. Are there any good on-line sources for new or used hardware people are happy with? Where are all those 500MB or 1.2GB drives or ISA cards of yesteryear?" (Read on...)
I've always looked to Computer Surplus Outlet for this kind of stuff, but I'm sure some of you have found other online sources for older hardware that you would like to share.
Here's one. (Score:1)
Just A Second [albany.net]
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Yard Sales... (Score:2)
Although I didnt know that much about hardware, I learnt quickly after I picked up an old IBM that was microchannel *DOH*.
The biggest problem I found was getting them to recognise a CD drive. Either that or they just don't have a PCI bus, which is really the easiest way to get a 100Mb ethernet card going for a network install. Some of them won't boot recent versions of the RedHat install, so I've used Debian for some, however, It's kind of a pain that the latest release version of Debian is still a 2.0 serious kernel
computerstrippers.com, garages sales, (Score:2)
Locally (to me), I occasionally pick up a part at Rochester Computer Recycling and Recovery [rochestercomputer.com] and Computer Renaissance. [computerrenaissance.com]
The Markerpro computer sales that come by every month would also have a fair selection of older stuff. I have to buy a fair amount to offset the entrance price, though.
The best deals are at garage sales, though. Last summer I picked up a 486/66 dissassembled tower (with CDROM, NIC and sound) and a NEC C400 multisync, speakers, keyboard and a mouse for under $100. I gutted the tower to make a Pentium, and I use the monitor every day as my primary monitor.
George
Antiques (Score:2)
The prob with online is that everything is so cheap; Sure, Steve in Seattle has the perfect IDE controller for $5, but shipping is nearly $15 and I have to wait a week.
I've had reasonably good results with Mom and Pop computer shops. They'll usually have someone's old junker on hand from a 'trade-in' special or it was declared DOA. When you're in a pinch for a DX2-66 or a couple of 30-pin SIMMS, you'll be able to get it same afternoon with a couple of calls.
My next best bet has been trade shows. For me, there's one within sane driving distance every week or so. I've gotten some real gems from vendors that held on to the merchandise long after it became obselete because they hoped it might garner a higher price later. 4 meg VLB video cards, VLB SCSI adapters, single-volt Pentium boards can all be had for just a couple of bucks. The trade show circuit has been the only successful provider of MFM/RLL drives and controllers. And if you find a rarity cheap, buy more than you need now. I've been stuck time and time again when I ran out of ISA video cards or needed just one more 500M HD.
Auctions, well, have sucked. They may have what you need, but I usually pay more. Anywhere else, it's one dealer, one buyer, and the dealer knows this is probably his only chance to sell. Auctions ALWAYS have someone who will want to outbid you. I've seen a UGLY $4 garden gnome go for $15.
Private (companies, schools, etc) sales have been totally variable. Schools/business will often get rid of mass amounts of old 'commercial' equipment; Suns, Alphas, VAXen. They got the equipment for next to nothing (or have depreciated it to nothing), and are not looking for much more than someone who will haul it away without being paid for the pleasure. Then again, I have seen quite a few that reeked of an accountant wanting to funnel bucks back into the departmental coffers. They usually want some insane amount based on exterior MV depreciation, and will stick to it. Expect only 'whole' equipment from them.
PLEASE NOTE: I've been out of the loop for a while; I work for a large leasing company, and all I really need to do these days is offer the appropriate person 7 cents on the dollar towards FMV and they will scrape up whatever my heart desires. It's me or the scrap bin, and the scrap bin charges them. I've been trying to convince them that I could get the stuff out tertiary market AND turn a sizable profit, but they havn't bitten..
offline auctions (Score:3)
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Flea at MIT (Score:1)
http://web.mit.edu/w1mx/www/swapfest.html
Last time there I got 3 complete, working Gateway systems, (2x p66, 1x486-66) for a total of 22 dollars, so I'm pretty happy with it!
ISA for older machines (Score:1)
Re:offline auctions (Score:1)
These sorts of auctions can be good for parts scrounging, although a lot depends on the auctioneer. The best move for everyone (except maybe the dealers who are buying lots of stuff) is when the auctioneer is willing to break out items from a pallet rather than just selling the whole thing.
Now is about the right time to look heavily for 486-class parts in state and local gov't auctions. At this point everyone should be dumping them whole and not bothering to strip out 4meg simms, 500 meg hard drives, etc.
Bring your cybertool when you go auctioning, especially if you can't preview the stuff prior to the auction. You'll want to be able to quickly pop open a case, check out the cards, and close the case back up, so you can have a leg up on other bidders. Hardware familiarity also helps. I picked up a nice Dell XPS 90 (pentium 90) with loads of accessories for pretty cheap because I knew exactly what it was.
I generally have the most success at auctions trying to outbid the few other knowlegable people for the juicey bits, and then bidding on the "who will give me $5 for the rest of the table" when the good stuff is gone, and the moderate stuff has been bought for too much. You end up with a lot of junk, but some of it is useful, some salvageable (cases, wall-hangings ;), some tradeable with the others at the auction (I really wanted that PC jr. but didn't want to buy the whole table), and the rest you're not even obligated to take home with you :)
Although lately the pickings haven't been as good and I've ended up buying more furnature than PC stuff. My basement is filled with old surplus desks, victims of the cubiclization of government :)
Offline autions == best bet (Score:1)
But yeah, real-life auctions are the best place to pick up $25 486's and $50 pentium systems (at least, in the Portland, OR area).
Ask a local business... (Score:1)
Or better yet, why don't you find a friend that works for a large company and get him/her to ask the IT folks.. they'll likely respond even better. I've picked up old ISA ethernet cards, 486's & mobos, and old software.
-rt-
Good place (Score:1)
College/Military/Government surplus store (Score:2)
I know that the University of MD does this and even has a website [umd.edu], and I know an Army base that had them, plus I have heard some cities do it as well.
Put up flyers (Score:1)
Well, I happen to know of a site... (Score:3)
Freeboxen.com is a hardware sharing community that operates purely on the generosity of its members. Once hardware reaches a certain age, its economic value becomes negligable. However it still retains much of its usefulness, especially to alternative OS users. If you arent planning on using some hardware, why not give it away to someone who will?
Freeboxen serves as an online resource that connects people who want hardware to people who have hardware to give. In just a little over a month, with a modest traffic volume, there have been quite a few interesting giveaways. Most of the free hardware has been from the 486-Pentium era, but some newer hardware has been posted too. The best stuff is claimed pretty quickly so you might need to check back often if you are looking for something good. The url is www.freeboxen.com, or you can click the link in my sig.
If you dont mind paying for hardware there are a couple of other resources that are worth checking out. If there is a computer show in your community that attracts a lot of vendors, they usually have some older stuff for sale cheap. The last one that I went to had 500 MB drives for under fifteen bucks. The second resource is the small business community. Chances are you could take home some pretty sweet kit, provided you have an in with the IT folks. They also might be willing to sell some of it for a reasonable price. Its worth a shot anyway.
-BW
Re:Flea at MIT (Score:1)
Re: garages sales (Score:2)
Just a couple of months ago I was in San Diego cruising yard sales, and managed to pick up a P200MMX with 64 Meg EDO (2-32 Meg SIMMs) and a 24x EIDE CD-ROM drive (no video card or hard drive, but the case was pretty nice), as well as the drivers and manuals for the motherboard and such - all for $50.00! The person selling it obviously didn't know it's value (the RAM alone should have sold for $50). This was a once-in-a-lifetime deal, and has to be an aberration in the whole scheme of things, so I never expect to see this kind of thing again (of course, there was the one time I bought a machine for the case, thinking it was a 386, and it turned out to be a P100 with 16 meg - all for $15.00). Maybe I am lucky...
So, what happened to the P200 box? Well, let's just say it makes a sweet SuSE box now...