Whenever we buy a new computer, the same question arises. What do I do with the old man? Many times the change is usually caused by a breakdown, and people usually end up throwing the old equipment in the trash or storing it until it accumulates enough dust to make a sand castle. But hey! In the event of a breakdown, the components can always be used.
For example, if your old computer has died due to a problem with the motherboard, you can always reuse the RAM modules, the hard disk or the DVD player. And if you have simply acquired a new team because the previous one was already a few years old, the chances are even greater. Let's give the jar a little ...
Reusing the components
HDD: You can give a new life to your old hard drive turning it into an external hard drive. It's as simple as buying an enclosure (with its own internal circuitry), mounting it, and voila! You already have a new external hard drive.
Graphic card: If you are an extreme gamer you can reuse your graphics card as a dedicated PhysX card and give your games a boost (HERE I leave you a link if you want to take a look). If you are also an expert handyman you can even convert your card into an eGPU, an external graphics card (see this Youtube tutorial for more details).
DVD reader: The DVD player can also be squeezed a bit more and turned into an external DVD player. You only need a SATA / IDE to USB adapter. As simple as plugging in and running.
RAM memory modules: Don't throw away your old equipment without first removing the RAM modules! As long as they are compatible, you can reuse them to expand the RAM of your new PC.
What if the computer is not broken?
In this case you can reuse it and give it a specific use. For example, you can use it as a file server for your home network or turn it into a multimedia center or Home Theater (HERE you have a manual about it). There are people who even use their old PC to download torrents 24 × 7 and thus relieve the PC of daily use of work.
Furniture and decoration
If you do not have much desire to go crazy this may not be a good option, but if you feel like it and are excited ... aaaay! What you can do with an old pot! On the website of Instructables.com They explain how to recycle a motherboard into a wall clock, some earrings for girls a little geeks or a lamp.
Even with an old monitor you can do interesting things ... such as a small fish tank.
This last DIY is already for experts, a coffee table with pieces of motherboards ...
Sell it
Another way to profit from your old equipment is the most obvious of all: sell it. You may not be able to get much for it, but if you have several parts and you reuse them by assembling a new computer, if you put it at a good price on eBay or Wallapop, surely there is someone who may be interested. You are not going to make gold, but some loose money in your pocket never hurts.
Recycling to power
Throwing a computer in the trash can be a real problem for the environment. A simple plate or the many metallic pieces surely are not to the liking of mother Gaia. Each year in Spain alone 567 kilos of electronic devices are consumed. Keep in mind that whenever you buy a new electronic device, the establishment is obliged to accept your old device for recycling. Therefore, instead of throwing it away, always consider its possible return for that purpose.
