The Ghosts of Hardware Past
December 2009

If you have ever replaced a PC, monitor or printer, chances are you may have some of these "ghosts" lurking in a back room or closet. Some of them may work and some may not and these aren't likely to dispose of themselves. So you may ask, "how do I get rid of them?" Most computer hardware contains material that by law needs to be properly disposed of so you can't just set them out on the curb with the weekly garbage. Your local landfill may accept computer hardware or be able to direct you to a company that can dispose of it properly. Either way there will be a fee to have it disposed of or recycled. Another important consideration "what data is on my hard drive?" You may have sensitive information on a hard drive that needs to be removed correctly before you consider disposing of it. Formatting the drive will not completely erase the data and someone with a little knowledge could retrieve data from it. There are utilities available on the internet that can completely erase the drive but may require some knowledge to operate. If you are unsure of what to do ACES engineers have plenty of experience at this and would be glad perform this service for you. Another option is to just remove the drive from the PC and either store it or destroy it. Destroying it usually involves damaging the drive so it no longer functions. (Do you have access to a 10 lb. sledge hammer?) So other than disposing of these units, what else could be done with them? Devices such as non-functioning Un-interruptible Power Supplies (UPS), printers and monitors that have no real value need to be disposed of properly. However, working monitors, PCs and printers could be donated or even sold. There are non-profit organizations that are seeking donated equipment as a way to meet their computing needs. Computers that are between 5 to 7 years old may be outdated for what you need them to do but could be used in less demanding roles with just a little updating. Donations to non-profit organizations can sometimes be a tax deduction for you too. ACES has assisted many of our clients in donating their older equipment to non-profit organizations and often perform the reconditioning and deployment of such equipment. Documentation of what was donated, fair market value and assumption of responsibility for the equipment helps protect both parties involved. Also, you'll want to remove any asset tags or other stickers that would tie the equipment back to your company. Other options for working equipment would be to give it (or sell at a significant discount) to your employees. This could meet the computing needs of your employees that need a second PC for their kids etc. Depending on the age and condition of your equipment you could try selling it on line but you need to take into consideration the amount of time and energy you will spend doing this to make sure it is worth your while. Just be careful that you don't violate any software licensing agreements that could leave you liable. There are also technologies that will allow you to use old PCs as thin clients for your existing or new terminal server. ACES has deployed these technologies as a cost saving measure for our clients that need to replace several PCs but do not have the budget for new PCs. One way to keep track of your computing hardware is to have a hardware replacement plan. A hardware replacement plan helps you plan the replacement of PCs and servers and may include a disposal plan too. When creating a hardware replacement plan you may want to consider technologies that help you minimize your hardware needs. A terminal server for example would allow you to have a more robust operating system while using low cost thin clients to connect to the server. By planning your hardware needs you can achieve the performance you need while making the most of your money and help reduce the amount of hardware that you need to dispose of in the end.

Date: November 2, 2009

Author: Brian Steinmeyer

Site: ACES

Show News Headlines