Question about getting rid of old computers

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2014, June 24 - 5:20am

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

Question about getting rid of old computers

So I have a bunch of old computers in my crawlspace. They've been in storage for about eight years and I don't know if any of them even still work. Most of them are from about 1990-1994, including several LC II's and LC III's, along with two Mac Classics, a Mac SE30, along with a couple older ones (an Apple IIc Plus and an Apple IIe) and a few assorted keyboards and monitors.

I'd like to get rid of most of them since we're about to move, but the nearest computer recycling center is too far away. What would be the best way to get them off my hands?

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2014, June 24 - 5:39am

sfp1954

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Joined: 2013 Dec 29

I would throw them all on ebay or your local Craigslist.
The SE30 is worth a fair bit of change ($50-100) if you can get it running.
SCSI drives are very valuable if you can get them running.
I find that most SCSI drives that haven't been spun up in years may need their spindles and actuators lubricated.

2014, June 24 - 5:42am

TenPoundHammer

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

^ Most of them are quite yellowed. After eight years in storage, should I even bother trying to plug them in to see if they still run? I don't want to have any explosive surprises.

2014, June 24 - 7:12am

ckilla

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Joined: 2014 Mar 4

Too bad you dont live near me, id come snatch them... highly doubt it.. shipping would be insane for them too bad tho id put em to good use...

2014, June 24 - 12:36pm

24bit

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Joined: 2010 Nov 19

Where in the world are you, comrade?
Someone from here or from 68kmla might pick up your oldies.
Better to donate them to a good home than tearing apart and selling pieces, methinks.

2014, June 24 - 3:20pm

uyjulian

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Joined: 2013 Jul 13

Yeah, better to sell and give them a good home.

2014, June 24 - 7:28pm

Euryale

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Joined: 2009 Jul 22

Please send me the Apple IIc plus, I´m really interested; i´ve been trying to find one of those since years ago here in Mexico with no luck whatsoever; of course I´ll pay for the mailing costs and an Extra for your time. and if possible the LCII also only problem about the LCII is that Monitors for that one are also really hard to find, unlike the Apple IIc which can be used with almost any Monitor easy to find

...Nevermind the LC, I won´t be able to find the monitors,
I´m just interesteted on the Apple IIc+

BTW, Right now I´m taking my Vacations at my Mom`s house in Mexico City,

2014, June 24 - 7:19pm

IIGS_User

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Joined: 2009 Apr 8

She's right.

2014, June 24 - 7:57pm

24bit

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Joined: 2010 Nov 19

I´m rather sure VGA multi sync monitors could be used with the LCII in a limited way. (640x480 pixels)
A homebrew cable would have to be soldered to get the sensing right.
Good VGA mutisyncs like the NECs were available here for postage...

http://support.apple.com/kb/TA48263
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA28939

2014, June 24 - 11:23pm

#10

TenPoundHammer

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

I'm from rural Michigan, on the northeast side of the Lower Peninsula. Shipping them off would probably be prohibitive, and as I said, I'm not sure if any of them even work anymore. I know at least a couple of them didn't work before they went into storage.

I just want to know if they're safe to even plug in anymore.

2014, June 25 - 5:48pm

(Reply to #10) #11

radius81110

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Joined: 2011 Oct 31

How rural is rural....Too bad I am in the lower west....Well not to low, I am in Detroit myself...

2014, June 25 - 3:49am

#12

TenPoundHammer

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

Okay, here's what I have:

LC II: Boots but shows the flashing question mark.

Five LC IIIs:
* Two appear to be fully functional and will at least boot to the desktop without trouble. (I didn't have a working mouse on hand, so I couldn't test any further.)
* One does not respond when turned on.
* One obviously has something loose inside, so I didn't bother plugging it in.
* One boots but shows a Sad Mac.

Quadra 660AV: It chimes and the fan turns on, but nothing shows up onscreen.

Performa 600: No response when turned on.

Mac Classic: The fan turns on, but nothing else.

Mac SE with SuperDrive: The monitor displays a bunch of random squares when turned on.

eMac: Did not turn on when I first got it about eight years ago.

Bondi Blue iMac (probably first generation): I previously had this one up and running, but I haven't tested it recently.

Apple IIc+ and Apple IIe: I was unable to find their power cords, so I couldn't test either one.

I also have about seven or eight 680x480 monitors, but so far I've only tested one and it seemed to work just fine.

====

I also have three other computers (another Mac Classic, a Performa 6200CD, and an LC520) that I would like to get up and running again, particularly since those three have old files of mine from ~15 years ago on them.

2014, June 25 - 5:57am

#13

Euryale

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Joined: 2009 Jul 22

Too bad you can´t find a FedEx nearby in a "first" world Country

2014, June 25 - 12:25pm

#14

Balrog

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Joined: 2009 Apr 24

Likely issues:

LC II: dead hard drive
LC IIIs: (dead): power supply; (loose inside) open it up and see!; (sad Mac) probably RAM, what's the code?
Q660AV: dead PRAM battery, hold down Command-Option-P-R for three or four chimes
P66: Same as Q660AV
Classic: bad capacitors?
SE: definitely bad capacitors

IIc+ and IIe are very highly wanted by collectors.

I'd personally prefer the Q660AV of all of those. It's one of the nicest Quadras they made. (Heck I'd even take it.)

As for shipping to Mexico, I know it may be expensive but I suggest using a postage calculator to figure out a ballpark estimate.

BTW: I'm looking out for any Quadra 800/840AV/Power Mac 8100/8100AV machines or even just plastic parts and bezels. They are so brittle... I'm also on the lookout for any Workgroup Server 9150 machines, but those are ultra-rare.

2014, June 25 - 1:48pm

#15

IIGS_User

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Joined: 2009 Apr 8

LC II: Boots but shows the flashing question mark.

Nice. It works so far, just missing an operating system.

2014, June 25 - 6:53pm

#16

TenPoundHammer

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

@Balrog: Where do you live? I might be able to send you the 660AV if you want it.

The LCIII that's giving me a Sad Mac isn't even displaying it on the screen. It just sounds the chimes the instant I turn it on, and nothing ever appears onscreen. I'm guessing it has power supply issues, because sometimes it won't even do anything if I power it up. (I tried three times just now, and got no response, Sad Mac chimes, and no response.)

I opened up the other LCIII with a loose part, and it seems to be the battery holder that's come loose.

@radius81110: Oscoda, but I'm moving to East Tawas. If I have anything that interests you, maybe we could meet halfway.

@ IIGS User: The LCII was fully functional before it went into storage, so I'm going with "dead hard drive".

What are the chances of still being able to extract data from the ones with "dead" hard drives? The three I want to keep (the 6200CD, LC520, and one of the Classics) have a lot of stuff from my childhood on them. I assume that as long as the platters aren't trashed, that it could just be a matter of getting a new head, spindle, etc.?

2014, June 25 - 11:36pm

#17

uyjulian

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Joined: 2013 Jul 13

Hard drives are very difficult to repair, may just as well get a new HDD.
I don't know how much SCSI drives are on eBay, but I know IDE ones are cheap cheap.

2014, June 26 - 1:52am

#18

TenPoundHammer

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

^ Is there still a way I can save the data off them, though?

2014, June 26 - 3:57pm

#19

max1zzz

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Joined: 2010 Oct 3

Depends, if your lucky they are just suffering from head sticktion, and taking to top off the drive and giving the arm a nudge will be enough to get it working so you can copy data off

2014, June 26 - 4:27pm

#20

Balrog

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Joined: 2009 Apr 24

@TenPoundHammer:

Can you email me? balr...@gmail.com

As for hard drives, sometimes you can nudge the spindle motor to free the head, but get the data off ASAP once the drive is running.

2014, June 26 - 11:08pm

#21

ckilla

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Joined: 2014 Mar 4

Not the right quadra for me or I would be going nuts for it... show me a 800,850,900,or 950 im all over it...or an xserve at a good price...

2014, June 27 - 12:31am

#22

Balrog

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Joined: 2009 Apr 24

There never was an 850.
You're probably thinking of the 840AV. I have one (as well as an 800) but the plastics are all falling apart.

2014, July 1 - 2:15am

#23

TenPoundHammer

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Joined: 2012 Oct 21

Balrog, did you ever get my e-mail?