Computer Recycling and Re-Using – Possbilities

By Sharil Dewa

Quite often, people who purchase a new computer are wondering what to do with their older computer, or if they should just throw it away.

Before thinking of throwing a computer away, it should be considered that there are a few possibilities, apart from the obvious ones which include trying to sell it or give it to a relative or friend, which can be done with an old computer.

Some examples to use an old computer are:

• Use the computer and setup your own network: If you do not already have your own home network setup, you can use the older computer as a client on your network. Once your computers have been connected to each other, you can do such things as use your older computer as a storage item or even a place to backup files.
• Use the computer as a printer server: If you have a home network or plan on setting up one, you can use the computer as a printer server, allowing you to have one or more printers shared between multiple computers.
• Install an alternate operating system on the computer: Alternative operating systems, such as Linux and Linux variants, are becoming increasingly popular and for anyone who is interested in trying them, an older computer can make a great Linux computer.
• MP3 computer: Move or keep all your MP3 and other music files.

Other possibilities include the following:

• Use it for spare parts: Open the computer and take any spare parts you think you will need for your new computer. Things you may want to keep include: fans, power supply, CD-ROM, floppy drive, hard disk drives, and memory. The parts mentioned above can be kept for potential future problems with your new computer or parts such as a CD-ROM, hard disk drive, and/or memory can be added into your new computer to give it additional capabilities.
• Donate your computer: There are several places that will accept working computers as donations to be used for the less fortunate, schools, etc. You can find many sources where to donate a computer in Malaysia by using a search engine like Google Malaysia.
• Preparing the computer to donate (or to give away): When your replacement computer is in place and you are ready to donate your old computer, don't simply hand it off to someone for the purpose of getting it off your hands. Take a few minutes to prepare the system, something that will provide a level of security for both you and its new owner.
• Clean Your Hard Drive: For your protection, it is best to delete the entire contents of the hard drive.
• Re-Install An Operating System: You will need to re-install the operating system in order to make the computer functional. If your computer was purchased with recovery software, run the application to re-install the operating system. But make sure it is not an outdated operating system, as support for such are very limited. For example, if the computer is old enough that recovering the operating system means installing Windows 95, 98 or Me, it is probably a good idea to bypass this step altogether, as their support is non-existent and there is extremely limited software available for these operating systems. If the computer originally came with Windows 2000 or Windows XP, it is best to return the computer to its original state.
• Recycle your computer: However, if your computer is so old that no one will accept it as a donation and you no longer wish to use it, consider recycling it properly instead of just throwing it away. Any of the components of your computer can be recycled and reused for making other materials. Instead of just merely dumping these in your trash bin, head off to a local recycling center and have these recycled. There are many recycling centres throughout Malaysia which will be happy to recycle the hardware for you. This is beneficial to the environment because this would decrease the amount of e-waste currently being dumped in landfill areas. Depending on your location, some recycling center offer pick up services where a representative would pick up your old computer hardware from your home or office. So make sure you contact your local recycling center to check if they offer this service.

Recycling is more than the act of reusing a product's raw material to build other similar products. The simple act of reusing a product like an old computer is another way of recycling in a truly green fashion. In fact, reusing is a greener alternative than recycling as it eliminates the added energy expensed in the recycling process. Just because the computer did not meet your needs does not mean it would not meet the needs of others. So the best way to get rid of a computer is to possibly use it for a different purpose, such as offering it to a friend, a relative or child who does not have the means of purchasing a computer. In fact, there are many channels one can use to locate a qualified recipient for an old, used but functional computer.