Looking for old PC to mess with

[Computer0304]

I am looking for a place where I can buy a old used PC that is cheap so I can try practicing repairing on it. I also just want it for retro computing purposes Retrocomputing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Is a Goodwill store a good place to look?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello mate sound like a sort of fellow tinkerer person I have six that range form old school ones to ones that I have acquired from the local recycle centre. I still have my old Dell all with XP of course so not that old.
The only problem is mate if you stuck into it as you want to it gets rather expensive looking for and if you can find them - spare parts especially the older CPU's and RAM.
Having said that knowing what we can do these days and the amount of expertise in here for instance it does make it fun

 

[Britton30]

If you can find any like an old Sinclair or Tandy, they will likely be expensive if they work at all. Part to fix them will bring a high price too, those old machines are becoming collectable and prices are going up.

Search your local Craig's list. You'll have to visit your local stores to see what they have. Goodwill in my area never has computers.

 

[Computer0304]

The whole reason I want it is if its not working, so I can mess around with it to try to get it working.

 

[Britton30]

See posts 2 and 3, the problem is if you try pre-1990 stuff parts will be nearly impossible to find. In those very early machines hardly anything was replaceable because it was all soldered to the motherboard, even various types of RAM in some.

 

[MrWhoopee]

They come to me all the time. If they're dead (mobo dead) or older than a late P4, I keep what's worth having (mostly RAM these days) and recycle the rest (10 cents/lb.=lunch money). Try an E-waste recycling center, it's amazing what people throw away.

 

[Computer0304]

Well I'm going to Goodwill anyway since I'm so curious what stuff they have since I've never went to one before.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The whole reason I want it is if its not working, so I can mess around with it to try to get it working.

Sounds like a good idea, but.......

If it needs a motherboard and it's more than 6 or 7 years old (socket 775 and older), you'll find it tough to find a motherboard. Newegg only has 3 socket 775 boards right now.

DDR2 RAM is around $30 for 2 gigs.

I know you were thinking about getting a boutique PC and have said that you are spooked about building.

I assume you don't want to start rebuilding what you have now.

Therefore, in your shoes, I'd buy a working refurbished computer manufactured say in the last 5 or 6 years, for say $200 or less with Windows 7 license and 4 GB of RAM. Then raise hell with it. Take it apart, put it back together, swap hard drives, reinstall the OS, fiddle with the cooling, etc, etc.

That's the quickest way to get a knowledge base and give you the confidence to build.

If instead, you bought a non-working PC for $10 bucks, you may never be able to get it running, at least not for less than a working refurb would cost.

 

[strollin]

You can check Goodyear but I believe they changed their policy a few years back and now any old machines like that get sent to a recycler instead of being put out for sale.

As suggested, Craig's List is pretty good although spotty for the older, collectible machines. You could also try Ebay but shipping will cost you a bundle.

 

[Stephanie]

There are also a few Old/Vintage Computer Forums out there that may have systems for sale

 

[Dude]

Goodwill might work. I have a goodwill with a pc section near me

 

[Computer0304]

I could use it as a unique paperweight or attempt to mod the case into a lamp or something.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I could use it as a unique paperweight or attempt to mod the case into a lamp or something.

What about a time travel machine LOL!!

 

[Britton30]

I have a .98 gigawatt generator I don't use, it was too small.

 

[PaulyStones]

Try local colleges/Unis...they usually have monthly surplus sales...may I ask your location? City/State?

EDIT: TEXAS...just saw that...

 

[Computer0304]

Its California. Anyway I came back from a Goodwill store and the closest thing to a computer I found was a GameCube that had only the controller.

 

[PaulyStones]

I looked at DUDE's profile...sorry 'bout that...anyway...with all the schools out there, I am sure they all have surplus sales. Check out there websites and put SURPLUS in their search...or contact the "facilities" dept...I did an inventory of 2 labs at my school last summer...we surplused a few computers but also about 40 routers, switches, and another 20+ pieces of legacy networking equipment. But that was just the 2 labs i work in...I have no idea what the rest of the school did.
Hospitals also have surplus dept...

Here is where i go often...for an example:

Retail Store | Finance Division | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Good Luck

 

[bigmck]

Its California. Anyway I came back from a Goodwill store and the closest thing to a computer I found was a GameCube that had only the controller.

There is a Goodwill Computer Store near me. People donate them but the oldest they have is a Pentium 4, so not very old.

 

[Computer0304]

Well for me, that would be old enough. Maybe I should ask schools for their old computers since they should have switched because of XP end of life.