best cheap/free scores 1.1 - Page 17

**momaka** · 09-24-2011, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratdude747

80gb PATA:

1. bought new as a gift (when I was in middle school). fried by a powmax power supply (years later I would find out why a-power and powmax were bad).

2. came from a HP evo d530, eventually made its way into a 700mhz emac. works great, no issues

3. came from the drive I got today. so far, no issues.

Check them for bad sectors. I regularly see these with bad sectors. About 1/5 of them some at work (most have just a few, so they work fine).

Also, what's wrong with #1? Does it not spin up or does it click? If the former, keep it for spare parts - particularly the heads. I think this is what goes bad with these drives.

**ratdude747** · 09-24-2011, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momaka

Check them for bad sectors. I regularly see these with bad sectors. About 1/5 of them some at work (most have just a few, so they work fine).

Also, what's wrong with #1? Does it not spin up or does it click? If the former, keep it for spare parts - particularly the heads. I think this is what goes bad with these drives.

#1 was dismantled for magnets a long time ago... I was a N00B back then. IIRC the controller board was fried. But then again, I would have never opened a power supply for the fear of my life or even known what to do with a solder iron. (I was only 13 back then)

#2 last I checked the sectors were good

#3 not sure... I think it was okay sector wise.

**shovenose** · 09-24-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c_hegge

Oh My Goodness! A toughbook!! Good luck trying to destroy that. those things are indestructable

I replaced the HDD (the original was dead, "gel padding" or not...surprisingly it was very easy. Unfortunately it's only got 256MB RAM and an 800MHz PIII...If it's too slow with Ubuntu 9 (had it lying around) I'll use Damn Small Linux...
but I think I have some problems with the bad colors of the screen!

**c_hegge** · 09-25-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratdude747

I hope it is not klunky like the nc6000... I got one of those free as well, dead with the MAX1987 issue. at least I got a 1gb PC2700 module out of it (and so I was able max out my old d400 to 2gb of RAM)

nope. It's quite a nice little machine now that I've fixed the USB ports. I ended up selling it for $200, since I have my thinkpad.

B757 · 09-30-2011, 05:59 PM

This is very hard to believe but someone seriously threw out a Q6600 system with an aluminum case, some sort of Nvidia graphics card, and a high end Asus motherboard with heatpipes on the heatsink. I only took the Q6600 since someone else wanted the rest, but that's an awesome find. Why anyone would seriously throw that away beats me.

In a school ewaste event people threw out numerous working iPods and Gameboys. Unfortunately they won't let me take any.

**momaka** · 09-30-2011, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B757

This is very hard to believe but someone seriously threw out a Q6600 system with an aluminum case, some sort of Nvidia graphics card, and a high end Asus motherboard with heatpipes on the heatsink.

Nice.

Around here, we just started getting Pentium 4 computers (used to be Pentium 3 not too long ago). I just got another S478 P4 computer last Monday. Not sure what speed as I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't look very promising. The motherboard is (again) some ESC crap - P4IBMS if I remember correctly. So it has 3 SDRAM slots (one is missing the plastic retainers, one has partially melted pins), 4x AGP slot, i845 chipset (with broken heat sink retainer), and only 400 MHz bus. Top it off with G-Luxon caps everywhere (none bulging, though) - with 3 of them missing from VRM low side (they seem to have been pulled off by the owner) and a broken USB port on the back which has also caused the resettable fuse for it to short and burn.
So overall that computer is in pretty sad shape actually. The PSU was no good either. It's some cheap POS with tiny heatsinks and wires - looks new, though. The computer also had a 60 GB Maxtor hard drive, but that's dead too. Last but not least, the CPU fan has had its wires cut and wired directly to one of the PSU connectors. It also needs a cleaning - it has that rancid sewer smell. I can't tell anymore if that smell is from roach poo or tar from cigarette smoke. Anyways it smells bad. At least it wasn't that dusty.
The only thing I've tested so far that works out of that computer is a 256 MB stick of SDRAM.
I found this one on the curb by the road, by the way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B757

In a school ewaste event people threw out numerous working iPods and Gameboys. Unfortunately they won't let me take any.

That's pretty stupid. Never understood why some people would *prefer* things go to waste rather than give them to people that can actually use those items.

**goodpsusearch** · 10-01-2011, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momaka

Nice.

Around here, we just started getting Pentium 4 computers (used to be Pentium 3 not too long ago). I just got another S478 P4 computer last Monday. Not sure what speed as I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't look very promising. The motherboard is (again) some ESC crap - P4IBMS if I remember correctly. So it has 3 SDRAM slots (one is missing the plastic retainers, one has partially melted pins), 4x AGP slot, i845 chipset (with broken heat sink retainer), and only 400 MHz bus. Top it off with G-Luxon caps everywhere (none bulging, though) - with 3 of them missing from VRM low side (they seem to have been pulled off by the owner) and a broken USB port on the back which has also caused the resettable fuse for it to short and burn.
So overall that computer is in pretty sad shape actually. The PSU was no good either. It's some cheap POS with tiny heatsinks and wires - looks new, though. The computer also had a 60 GB Maxtor hard drive, but that's dead too. Last but not least, the CPU fan has had its wires cut and wired directly to one of the PSU connectors. It also needs a cleaning - it has that rancid sewer smell. I can't tell anymore if that smell is from roach poo or tar from cigarette smoke. Anyways it smells bad. At least it wasn't that dusty.
The only thing I've tested so far that works out of that computer is a 256 MB stick of SDRAM.
I found this one on the curb by the road, by the way.

That's pretty stupid. Never understood why some people would *prefer* things go to waste rather than give them to people that can actually use those items.

P4 cpus are always welcome!

Too bad for the motherboard... It doesn't seem worth bothering..

Please post some pics of the psu. Those tiny heatsinks and small transformers and of course inadequate filters are always fun to see

When you say that the maxtor is dead what do you mean? Bad sectors or pcb dead, does nothing when powered?

**rigeback** · 10-01-2011, 03:48 PM

Hey Giani,
I notice you live in Como, I live in Piemont NR asti, do you or know some one who does MB reballing in Italy?
Ciao

**brethin** · 10-01-2011, 05:29 PM

Wife picked up a Dell XPS 400 at a yard sale today for $5. Opened it up for quick inspection and everything looked ok other than dusty. Powered it up and got the floppy warning (no floppy installed but bios thought it had one) changed that setting and it booted right up. Pentium D 2.8, 1 gig DDR2, ATI PCI-E video, 160GB seagate, DVD Rom Drive, DVD/CD RW Drive, Multi Card Reader, XP Pro MCE and Office 2003 installed. They were asking $10 for it and I would have jumped on that but she like to haggle.

ThePCDoctor · 10-02-2011, 02:38 PM

As a little kid, I was working the back alleys in my neighborhood with my little red wagon, taking home all sorts of little treasures.

More recently, a Eureka upright vacc. cleaner, that just needed cleaning and a new belt,, a chrome stand fan, that just needed some oil on the motor bearings,, a stack of brand new bed clothes, pillow cases, etc.
And WOOD, tons of wood from construction dumpsters.

Dumpsters are like a box of chocolates..... You never know what you'll get!
(dang, that sounds familiar! )

Cheers Mates!

**kc8adu** · 10-02-2011, 03:55 PM

got a big pile from my apartment cleanout guy today.an am2 mobo with cpu and ram was the best item.marked "BAD" on the bag.had 4 2gb sticks of some unknown cheap ram in it.
1 stick would stop post of whatever i put it in.other 3 went solid red in memtest.the board and cpu are ok.its a amd phenom quadcore.

**momaka** · 10-05-2011, 10:21 PM

Went on a bike ride yesterday with my friend and found a 19" Dell LCD monitor. I picked it up on the ride back to my house. Wasn't as hard to carry while biking as I thought it would be.
I haven't tested it yet, but will do that tonight. The screen did not looked cracked. The monitor is very dusty, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

Please post some pics of the psu. Those tiny heatsinks and small transformers and of course inadequate filters are always fun to see

Will do. I'll let you know when I post them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

When you say that the maxtor is dead what do you mean? Bad sectors or pcb dead, does nothing when powered?

It spins up, but my BIOS says SMART on it has failed or it just doesn't detect the drive. I tried it on 2 different computers. I'll play around with it a little more for sure. It doesn't click loudly and seems to initialize properly.

*** EDIT ***
Well I just checked the 19" Dell monitor, and it works fine. I don't quite understand why it was thrown away. It was sitting in a box for a HP widescreen monitor so my guess is the original owner upgraded and just didn't need this one.
I'll still probably open it, though. Need to do that anyways, both for clean up and to check for bad caps. The monitor smells a bit like mold. It might have been kept in a humid basement or garage after all.

**kc8adu** · 10-05-2011, 11:02 PM

apartment cleanout guy strikes again.akai 37" 1080p lcd.
dead so another megmeet psu roasted its caps no doubt.

**Junk Parts** · 10-06-2011, 06:18 AM

Yesterday my son found and almost new 6.75 hp self propelled Craftman lawnmower sitting next to a dumpster. The crank shaft is bent a little. I think I have a used shaft that will fit it.
A week or so ago he found a Hp Pavilion ze5700 Lappy in the trash bin. It hasn't got a hard drive in it. As soon as I find a power cord for it I'll see if it will post. I would bet that this Lappy is toast but you never know. The screen and case do not look to be cracked or broken.

**ratdude747** · 10-08-2011, 10:55 PM

Found a linksys WRT54G V8 for $4 at a goodwill today. Since I have a Military ID (via my dad, until I am 21), I got 15% off... so it comes out to $3.20

the wall wart appears to be klunky... plug it to the wall and then into the router it is ok, do the opposite and the router freaks. didn't do it with the wart I stole from the netgear WGR614 that the linksys is to replace.

of course, I checked the caps, 3 su'scons , not bloated. I know, it will probably need a recap...

for now, I DD-WTR'd it... so far, so good.

----

I also found an old Phillips Nottignham 3 speed cruiser bike for $10 ($8.50 after mil. discount). based on some date codes on the rear hub it appears to be made in 1970 (12/69 hub code). I'd say more but this thing will get a new thread in the Off topic area.

**Ami Sapphire** · 10-09-2011, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratdude747

Found a linksys WRT54G V8 for $4 at a goodwill today. Since I have a Military ID (via my dad, until I am 21), I got 15% off... so it comes out to $3.20

the wall wart appears to be klunky... plug it to the wall and then into the router it is ok, do the opposite and the router freaks. didn't do it with the wart I stole from the netgear WGR614 that the linksys is to replace.

of course, I checked the caps, 3 su'scons , not bloated. I know, it will probably need a recap...

for now, I DD-WTR'd it... so far, so good.

I also have the exact version of that router. That one is great for DD-WRT. In my case, it is in Repeater Bridge mode, so it serves as a second wireless connection exclusive to my family's Nintendo DS Lite handhelds. But, mine is JTAGed and CFE compressed. As a result, the firmware it is using is a micro-plus release.

I never had that AC adapter issue with mine. Interesting, nonetheless.

**ratdude747** · 10-09-2011, 11:20 AM

well, she overheated last night... sounds like I might need to order some caps!

**ipman** · 10-09-2011, 12:23 PM

I've got a WRT54G v7 (does not support dd-wrt) for around $5 here as defective. In fact, the power supply was bad, the router was working just fine.

**NxB** · 10-09-2011, 01:02 PM

All of these are worth about 3.50 with their crippled ram size. I've resorted to upgrading the ram in all of my gimp routers. Most have 16mb-64mb, depending on what fit. The flash is still limiting but at least micro plus works.

**shovenose** · 10-09-2011, 10:55 PM

In the apartment building we live in now there is a sort of ongoinging free pile in the hallway to the manager's office. I found a nice 2-port belkin KVM Switch (and two of those extremely rare PS2-to-USB adapters attached to it), and MS Works software...

A tenant in another unit says he has an extra Sony Trinitron that "works perfectly except the sound doesn't work and the headphones jack is shot" that he would give me for free...which I'm considering taking. should I? (this is the same guy that gave me the nice Sony sound system that is really awesome except teh CD part doesn't work)...

09-30-2011, 05:59 PM	#325
B757 New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 10	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds This is very hard to believe but someone seriously threw out a Q6600 system with an aluminum case, some sort of Nvidia graphics card, and a high end Asus motherboard with heatpipes on the heatsink. I only took the Q6600 since someone else wanted the rest, but that's an awesome find. Why anyone would seriously throw that away beats me. In a school ewaste event people threw out numerous working iPods and Gameboys. Unfortunately they won't let me take any.

10-01-2011, 03:48 PM	#328
rigeback Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Mar 2011 City & State: Turin My Country: Malta Line Voltage: 230 I'm a: Hobbyist Tech Posts: 341	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds Hey Giani, I notice you live in Como, I live in Piemont NR asti, do you or know some one who does MB reballing in Italy? Ciao

10-01-2011, 05:29 PM	#329
brethin Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Dec 2008 City & State: Owensboro, KY. My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 1,902	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds Wife picked up a Dell XPS 400 at a yard sale today for $5. Opened it up for quick inspection and everything looked ok other than dusty. Powered it up and got the floppy warning (no floppy installed but bios thought it had one) changed that setting and it booted right up. Pentium D 2.8, 1 gig DDR2, ATI PCI-E video, 160GB seagate, DVD Rom Drive, DVD/CD RW Drive, Multi Card Reader, XP Pro MCE and Office 2003 installed. They were asking $10 for it and I would have jumped on that but she like to haggle.

10-02-2011, 02:38 PM	#330
ThePCDoctor Retired Tech. Join Date: Sep 2011 City & State: Central FLORIDA My Country: United States Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 59	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds As a little kid, I was working the back alleys in my neighborhood with my little red wagon, taking home all sorts of little treasures. More recently, a Eureka upright vacc. cleaner, that just needed cleaning and a new belt,, a chrome stand fan, that just needed some oil on the motor bearings,, a stack of brand new bed clothes, pillow cases, etc. And WOOD, tons of wood from construction dumpsters. Dumpsters are like a box of chocolates..... You never know what you'll get! (dang, that sounds familiar! ) Cheers Mates! __________________ Experience is truly the best teacher. Backup! Backup! Backup! Ghost Rocks!

10-02-2011, 03:55 PM	#331
kc8adu Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 City & State: dayton ohio My Country: U.S.A! Line Voltage: 12vdc,120/240vac,480vac 3ph on my bench I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 8,298	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds got a big pile from my apartment cleanout guy today.an am2 mobo with cpu and ram was the best item.marked "BAD" on the bag.had 4 2gb sticks of some unknown cheap ram in it. 1 stick would stop post of whatever i put it in.other 3 went solid red in memtest.the board and cpu are ok.its a amd phenom quadcore.

10-05-2011, 11:02 PM	#333
kc8adu Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 City & State: dayton ohio My Country: U.S.A! Line Voltage: 12vdc,120/240vac,480vac 3ph on my bench I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 8,298	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds apartment cleanout guy strikes again.akai 37" 1080p lcd. dead so another megmeet psu roasted its caps no doubt.

10-06-2011, 06:18 AM	#334
Junk Parts Court Jester Join Date: Jun 2006 City & State: Baltimore-A Rat Hole With A Harbor My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120VAC@60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 8,725	Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds Yesterday my son found and almost new 6.75 hp self propelled Craftman lawnmower sitting next to a dumpster. The crank shaft is bent a little. I think I have a used shaft that will fit it. A week or so ago he found a Hp Pavilion ze5700 Lappy in the trash bin. It hasn't got a hard drive in it. As soon as I find a power cord for it I'll see if it will post. I would bet that this Lappy is toast but you never know. The screen and case do not look to be cracked or broken. __________________ “It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.” Mark Twain "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." John Paul Jones There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone. Rod Serling

10-08-2011, 10:55 PM	#335
ratdude747 Black Sheep Join Date: Nov 2008 City & State: Madison, IN My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 16,695	Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1 Found a linksys WRT54G V8 for $4 at a goodwill today. Since I have a Military ID (via my dad, until I am 21), I got 15% off... so it comes out to $3.20 the wall wart appears to be klunky... plug it to the wall and then into the router it is ok, do the opposite and the router freaks. didn't do it with the wart I stole from the netgear WGR614 that the linksys is to replace. of course, I checked the caps, 3 su'scons , not bloated. I know, it will probably need a recap... for now, I DD-WTR'd it... so far, so good. ---- I also found an old Phillips Nottignham 3 speed cruiser bike for $10 ($8.50 after mil. discount). based on some date codes on the rear hub it appears to be made in 1970 (12/69 hub code). I'd say more but this thing will get a new thread in the Off topic area.

10-09-2011, 11:20 AM	#337
ratdude747 Black Sheep Join Date: Nov 2008 City & State: Madison, IN My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 16,695	Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1 well, she overheated last night... sounds like I might need to order some caps!

10-09-2011, 12:23 PM	#338
ipman Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 City & State: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 156	Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1 I've got a WRT54G v7 (does not support dd-wrt) for around $5 here as defective. In fact, the power supply was bad, the router was working just fine.

10-09-2011, 01:02 PM	#339
NxB Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,587	Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1 All of these are worth about 3.50 with their crippled ram size. I've resorted to upgrading the ram in all of my gimp routers. Most have 16mb-64mb, depending on what fit. The flash is still limiting but at least micro plus works.

10-09-2011, 10:55 PM	#340
shovenose Send Doge Memes Join Date: Aug 2010 City & State: Napa, CA. My Country: USA I'm a: Forum Junkie Posts: 6,418	Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1 In the apartment building we live in now there is a sort of ongoinging free pile in the hallway to the manager's office. I found a nice 2-port belkin KVM Switch (and two of those extremely rare PS2-to-USB adapters attached to it), and MS Works software... A tenant in another unit says he has an extra Sony Trinitron that "works perfectly except the sound doesn't work and the headphones jack is shot" that he would give me for free...which I'm considering taking. should I? (this is the same guy that gave me the nice Sony sound system that is really awesome except teh CD part doesn't work)...