Mandrew wrote on 2024-07-16, 06:43:

dormcat wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:12:

Just saw a case with "Core i3 8th Gen" discarded at an e-waste recycler.
8th Gen?! That thing could run Win11.

That's how I upgrade my computer nowadays because why should I spend money on this when companies throw 5 year old rigs and flawless IPS monitors in the trash?

I think they'd only just got the accountants and tax authorities on board for rapid equipment depreciation cycle during the rapid changes era, then it all slowed right down. But they're probably trying to still justify it in case AI or quantum has them upgrading every 2 or 3 years again.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-07-20, 02:28:

Mandrew wrote on 2024-07-16, 06:43:

dormcat wrote on 2024-07-16, 00:12:

Just saw a case with "Core i3 8th Gen" discarded at an e-waste recycler.
8th Gen?! That thing could run Win11.

That's how I upgrade my computer nowadays because why should I spend money on this when companies throw 5 year old rigs and flawless IPS monitors in the trash?

I think they'd only just got the accountants and tax authorities on board for rapid equipment depreciation cycle during the rapid changes era, then it all slowed right down. But they're probably trying to still justify it in case AI or quantum has them upgrading every 2 or 3 years again.

Some of its to reduce costs. Seriously.
1) Reduces unplanned outages. Replacing a computer on a planned schedule is much cheaper than less frequent emergency replacements.
2) Emergency replacements lead to employee down time. Paying a person to do nothing for a couple days is expensive and 7 year old computers break more frequently than 1 year old computers.
3) Reduces irreplaceable systems. If you have to rebuild your system every three years, you are less likely to get stuck in a situation where noone knows how to reinstall the software on your computer, which can be an expensive position to be in if your computer dies suddenly. Forces all departments to retain that corporate knowledge.

Found a few weeks ago.
It was waiting for me on the side walk, just a few dozens meters from home 😀
Sorry, not in a dumpster here ... Does it count ?
It's a AX59-PRO mainboard, with a K6-2 550 Mhz. No case, but mouse and keyboard.
So I went to a local computer store, hopping the guy would have some ram.
He had ram, but also a floppy drive, a All-in-Wonder 8500, a SCSI Adaptec 2940UW card, an audio card Aurel Vortex2, a 8139 network card, a Voodoo 2 12 Mo, and even blank cd 😀
I payed about 50$ for the whole ....
I changed 2 dead capacitors, but still have problem to get it running at 550 MHz, and Win98 crashes when I try to install the drivers for the Vortex 2 or a SB 128 1370 ...

nali wrote on 2024-07-21, 01:40:

Found a few weeks ago. It was waiting for me on the side walk, just a few dozens meters from home :) Sorry, not in a dumpster he […]
Show full quote

Found a few weeks ago.
It was waiting for me on the side walk, just a few dozens meters from home 😀
Sorry, not in a dumpster here ... Does it count ?
It's a AX59-PRO mainboard, with a K6-2 550 Mhz. No case, but mouse and keyboard.
So I went to a local computer store, hopping the guy would have some ram.
He had ram, but also a floppy drive, a All-in-Wonder 8500, a SCSI Adaptec 2940UW card, an audio card Aurel Vortex2, a 8139 network card, a Voodoo 2 12 Mo, and even blank cd 😀
I payed about 50$ for the whole ....
I changed 2 dead capacitors, but still have problem to get it running at 550 MHz, and Win98 crashes when I try to install the drivers for the Vortex 2 or a SB 128 1370 ...

Nice! I have one of those boards as well. I can't imagine finding that laying on the side of the road!

Regarding the board being unstable... you mentioned replacing two dead caps. Were they physically damaged, or were they leaky? If they were leaky or swollen and there are other caps on the board made by the same brand, I would replace those too, starting with ones that are the same or similar size to the ones that failed. Also, in my experience the very small aluminum electrolytic caps found on boards will rarely if ever burst or leak the way the larger ones do, but they could still be massively out of spec due to having the same defective internal chemistry that plagued other caps from that time period.

Also, I'd inspect it thoroughly for any damaged solder joints. If it was just tossed on the curb it could have some broken joints on the back, or even bent or damaged chip legs on the top side.

The caps I changed are the one near the CPU, on the 3.2 volts.
They were bulged, started to leak, and their ESR was about 5 Ohms 😀
They are the only of this kind, I know same caps have usually the same problems.

I had no blank cds, so installing a Linux was a pain. Now I have some, this may help me checking is there are some error messages in the logs.
The board was in a plastic beag just in front a a house, with a lot of books about aquariums.
So I suppose it was left here for someone to get it, not toosed.
It's quite stable at 350 MHz, so I don't think it's physical damages to the board.

I was using that keyboard during lockdown. I was a bit shocked how terrible it felt even compared to the PS2 keyboards that came with Compaq/HP business computers.
But I got used to it and by the end kind of liked it, even using some of the buttons up top.

nali wrote on 2024-07-21, 01:40:

I changed 2 dead capacitors...

...while the last picture clearly shows 4 defective ones?

douglar wrote on 2024-07-20, 03:32:

Some of its to reduce costs. Seriously. 1) Reduces unplanned outages. Replacing a computer on a planned schedule is much che […]
Show full quote

Some of its to reduce costs. Seriously.
1) Reduces unplanned outages. Replacing a computer on a planned schedule is much cheaper than less frequent emergency replacements.
2) Emergency replacements lead to employee down time. Paying a person to do nothing for a couple days is expensive and 7 year old computers break more frequently than 1 year old computers.
3) Reduces irreplaceable systems. If you have to rebuild your system every three years, you are less likely to get stuck in a situation where noone knows how to reinstall the software on your computer, which can be an expensive position to be in if your computer dies suddenly. Forces all departments to retain that corporate knowledge.

Exactly, corporates operate in ways that seem strange if they are not explained.
I'll add one more reason, mostly for large companies: contracts. The company has a contract with a big name like Dell or HP to get a number of computers for price x, but after 3-4 years they must replace them by buying new ones from them again.

majestyk wrote on 2024-07-22, 07:02:

nali wrote on 2024-07-21, 01:40:

I changed 2 dead capacitors...

...while the last picture clearly shows 4 defective ones?

Well 3 of the 4 are bulging but I would replace all 4 anyway (generally when you have bad capacitors next to the CPU which are all the same type and get heated up by the CPU cooler exhaust you should replace them all).

I've had boards where all the capacitors are bulging and leaking but the system still runs and boards where just 1 looks bad out of a few but the thing won't post.

majestyk wrote on 2024-07-22, 07:02:

...while the last picture clearly shows 4 defective ones?

The pictures are not in chronological order 😀
The stock capacitors are 4 x 1200 uF.
Since the CPU doesn't run at 550 MHz, I thought it may be the reason.
But I didn't have the right ones, so I temporary used 2 x 3300 uF. Correct models will be ordered.
I have other stuff to order at Digikey or other, to repair an old radio and a X-Box, I don't want to pay 12$ shipping for just 4 caps 😀
The caps are not new, but they are good.

Got those a while ago but forgot to post here. 😅

While waiting for garbage truck, a neighbor brought a bag with a set of Microsoft Designer Bluetooth Desktop and a Logitech K545 (the keyboard of MK545 set), plus an HDMI cable (not photographed). He claimed they don't work well and K545 had the Unifying Receiver missing; I told him that I might be able to give them a fix so he gave me the bag happily.

After cleaning them with IPA I installed AAA batteries to the MS BT set; worked perfectly (at least no defect I could have noticed) even with my Android devices. Dude, that's NT$2,990 list and 1,990 at sales!

Didn't have a Unifying Receiver so I couldn't test the K545; that's why I don't like wireless keyboards / mice with proprietary dongles.

This was just randomly sitting on the sidewalk, fell off a Boeing I guess...

If it works, seems pretty useful spec still, got BT 4.0 if you look up the model number, oddly no BT logo or print that says so on it. Im gonna have to search every rando card I get now to check if it does BT or not. Slightly amazed I saw it at all really, since it's nickel sized (10p coin for UK)

Now if I was second guessing my luck, I'd say maybe I was a half hour too late, because garbage had just been picked up on that street, commercial/retail, and it might have "leaked" out of a bag/box with a lot more interesting stuff in it... or I might not have given the bagged/boxed stuff a second glance if it was well wrapped... or it was totally unrelated to the garbage pickup and had made it there by other means. I am not gonna dwell on it though.

IDK if I will be testing it for a while, everything I'm using has fast enough wifi for the interwebs and local streaming, I will be "bringing up" a Latitude notebook soon though, so might try it in that while I am messing around, might stay there if it doesn't otherwise have bluetooth.

@BitWrangler not sure if I misunderstood you or missed something, but these tiny wifi/BT adapters are (were?) in pretty much every single laptop in the world. I have them by literal hundreds at work, from old laptops that were too broken to be repaired/reused and stripped of all spare parts.

My latest find last Friday was quite a very good one. 6 complete Olivetti M4 Modulo 82 computers obviously dropped by a local business. When I was home and opened them up, my surprise was even bigger as they all have a socket 4 AT motherboard (Intel "Batman's Revenge") with socket 4 Pentium Overdrive 133 (66*2). All 6 look in decent condition, except the infamous dead Dallas RTC chips - those board don't really behave without it. But in any case - amazing! 😁

Yeah they're worthless until you need one. I don't have any connections to boundless amounts of low end IT junk, so when I need one it will cost me $20 otherwise, $5 from somewhere that bothers to sell them and $15 shipping. So kinda like finding $20 on the sidewalk.

Boohyaka wrote on 2024-07-29, 13:21:

My latest find last Friday was quite a very good one. 6 complete Olivetti M4 Modulo 82 computers obviously dropped by a local business. When I was home and opened them up, my surprise was even bigger as they all have a socket 4 AT motherboard (Intel "Batman's Revenge") with socket 4 Pentium Overdrive 133 (66*2). All 6 look in decent condition, except the infamous dead Dallas RTC chips - those board don't really behave without it. But in any case - amazing! 😁

🤣 though I see why you are unimpressed when $2000+ just dropped in your lap, awesome find 6 POD133s and socket 4 systems, amazing indeed.

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-07-29, 13:28:

Yeah they're worthless until you need one. I don't have any connections to boundless amounts of low end IT junk, so when I need one it will cost me $20 otherwise, $5 from somewhere that bothers to sell them and $15 shipping. So kinda like finding $20 on the sidewalk.

OK I get you now, the whole "fell off a plane" thing made me think you thought it was something rarer than what it really was. But I understand it's always cool to find free stuff and my view is probably warped as I'm seeing those almost daily and we have no idea what to do with them (if you want another one, happy to ship you one 🤣)

🤣 though I see why you are unimpressed when $2000+ just dropped in your lap, awesome find 6 POD133s and socket 4 systems, amazing indeed.

🤣 yeah believe me that IS one of the very best finds ever at my little town's recycling center! I realize my luck 😉

Boohyaka wrote on 2024-07-29, 13:42:

OK I get you now, the whole "fell off a plane" thing made me think you thought it was something rarer than what it really was.

I was playing with the English expression, not sure if it used to be exclusive to North America until recent years, but upon finding random loose bolts, hardware etc, people might exclaim "Airplane parts, fell from the sky." meaning they had no idea where they came from or belonged, or sarcastically to mean that after reassembling something they were not going to take it all apart again to see where that one leftover screw belonged. Then I added Boeing into that because they have been in the news this year for things falling off in flight.

Ooooh yes I gotcha now 😁 apologies. It really went above my head... 🤣

No apology necessary I am somewhat obscure and indecipherable in my humor and references anyway, family gatherings I'll be saying things, three people will be laughing hysterically and everyone else looking puzzled, "What? What did I miss" 🤣

BitWrangler wrote on 2024-07-29, 15:17:

No apology necessary I am somewhat obscure and indecipherable in my humor and references anyway, family gatherings I'll be saying things, three people will be laughing hysterically and everyone else looking puzzled, "What? What did I miss" 🤣

The best jokes are the ones that only a couple people get.