Hardware HowTo

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Contents

Introduction

This page is intended to document various details about different types of hardware, including:

  • How to determine whether or not to keep it
  • What's done with it when it passes testing
  • What's done with it when it fails testing
  • Miscellaneous notes

Of course, if any section becomes too long, it is recommended to split it off into it's own comprehensive page.


CRT Monitors

To determine what monitors we keep, we must check the following.

  • Is the production date greater than the year 2004?
  • Is the plastic casing in good condition? Check for yellowing, cracks etc.
  • Is the swivel base connected?
  • If it passes, then the monitor must go through testing.

If it does not pass, cut off all cords, remove base(and put it in the white bags), and place next to monitor skid.


Laptops

See Laptops


Hard Drives

Harddrive Process

We keep all Hard Drives(HD) 20GB and over. Anything under is destroyed with the exception of certain SCSI models and laptop drives.

Drives from eval and receiving are brought up to the mezz to be locked in the cabinet where they await wiping. No drives at the end of day should be un-locked unless they have been wiped and have a green sticker on them.

Jumper Settings

Western Digital

hdd jumper settings: wdc page on jumpers

Maxtor/Quantum/Seagate

model number info

Collect hard drive model numbers and sizes here.

  • fireball plus lm -- 30gb
  • quantum fireball 3.5 series --
  • quantum prodrive lps -- 0.5gb
  • quantum atlas v 3.5 series -- 9.1 gb
  • maxtor 94610u6 -- 46.1gb
  • maxtor 91361u3 -- 13gb
  • conner cfs850a -- 0.85gb
  • maxtor 90680d4 -- 6.8gb
  • maxtor 7120at -- 0.12gb


Scanners/All in Ones

Scanner Sorting HowTo

We only keep USB type scanners. The only exception is scanners that can do 11x17 pages.

Tested here to work "out of the box".

  • HP ScanJet 2200c
  • HP ScanJet 3300c
  • List of scanners that work with xsane:The List


Wall Warts

Wall Warts are Wall Plugs or Power Supplies. They are usually black, with a small wire that ends in a silver cylinder. They power things like scanners, external devices, modems, etc.

Keepers

Keep any wall plugs branded as

  • 3Com
  • Linksys
  • D-Link
  • US Robotics
  • Any 5 Volt, 2 or 2.5 AMP no-name plugs

Network Devices

Network Cards In Particular

We only keep two different types of network cards at the 100megabit speed. They are Intel and 3Com chipset based which are not missing the 'boot prom'. Before recycling all other network cards, make sure none have 1000 marked on the metal. If they have 1000 marked on the metal side, they are gigabit network cards and they will be kept. Recycled network cards can be placed in the motherboard gaylord next to Dismantling.

Wireless Device

We keep all wireless devices. They should be brought to the card sorting station for testing.


HP mini printer cable

HP used a "mini centronics" cable for a brief period of time. We keep all these cables as they are needed for later model laser printers. A picture of one can be seen here. The cables will usually have HP's brand on it. Bring these cables down to the store.


KVM

these are kept and stored in receiving.

Keyboards

USB and Wireless Keyboards go into the Store box. Regular PS2 keyboards should only be kept if they are black in colour, or a very, almost new white. Keep any keyboard that is of a small form factor. Keep any keyboard that has the following labels on it(can be found on the back or front):

Happy Hacker
IBM - (on the back sticker it will say Model M, it will also weigh 20lbs)
Cherry (on the back)
PFU

--

The finer points.

Pick up the keyboard. This is your primary input device, your hands are on it every day. A poor keyboard is like a bad tool, it makes the work you do with your system cumbersome and awkward. Learn to tell a good keyboard just by holding it. Close your eyes and decide if it is something you would want to use. Is it light, like there is nothing to it? Scrap it. Does it have that old-time, much-too-expensive-to-ship-from-overseas-in-mass-quantities weight to it? Perhaps you are holding something worth spending a few more seconds with. Press the keys. With both hands. Set it down and type on it. No, it doesn't need to be plugged in. Spongy? Flat? You can tell if its something worth keeping or worth making disappear. You can see a lot by looking. Where is the control key? Is to the left of the 'A' key, from a time before capital consumed ergonomics? It is special, and should be saved. Flip it over and look at the back. Does it say Model M? Cherry? PFU? When you see these brands, and others of quality that you will learn to identify, take a moment to appreciate the design and construction of a device that has stood the test of time. Then gently set it aside into the small pile of keyboards that will be saved from having its cord unceremoniously chopped before being tossed into the scrap bin.

Mice

USB mice and PS2 that are clean go into the MICE box. All others go into the barrel to be cut and recycled. If the mouse looks old or vintage, get the opinion of a staff person.

HP 10xx series printers

HP used a "mini centronics" cable for a brief period of time. We keep all these cables as they are needed for later model laser printers. A picture of one can be seen here. The cables will usually have HP's brand on it. Bring these cables down to the store.


LCD Displays

LCD Sorting

Take all LCD monitors to the monitor corner for testing.

LCD Repairing

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WITHOUT STAFF

Please note that we do not accept broken LCD screens.


Tape Drives

We want to keep at least one of each type of tape drive for obscure data recovery. This is the list of drives that we currently have.

  • hp surestore dat 24, Model C1556D, SCSI
  • Seagate STD224000N, SCSI
  • 120 MB RC Electronics Remanufactured, Floppy Interface


Miscellaneous Expansion Cards

AGP Cards

  • 64MB or more with a clear picture put with working video cards
  • if unsure of size but has clear picture put with working video cards

PCI cards

  • Sound Cards - Brown SoundBlaster Live Cards that show up on lspci
  • Ethernet Cards - 3Com or Intel that show up on lspci
  • Modems - 3Com Cards with speakers that show up on lspci
  • Parallel Port PCI cards - if shows on lspci put on tested
  • USB PCI cards - shows up as USB 2.0 on lspci file with USB 2.0 cards. (USB cards with only 2 plugs are almost always USB 1.x and can be safely scrapped)
  • Firewire cards - if shows up on lspci file with Firewire cards
  • Mark all cards that were tested with a black permanent marker on inside bottom of card

Electronics

IC Logos: http://www.elnec.sk/support/ic-logos/?method=logo

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