Equipment that is non-functional or more than five years old should go to recyclers.

How can you increase the "reusability" of your computer?
Please donate your old computer as soon as possible after buying your new machine. Most people will not find it necessary to keep their old computers for parts or as a backup machine - they generally end up lurking in a cupboard or in the attic! The effective reuse life of a computer is only two or three years, so the sooner it is back working, the more useful it can be.

It is very useful to the next user if we can reinstall the computer operating system using the factory recovery CDs. Please include those CD-ROMs with the donated computer. All computer makers use different device driver software to run the monitor, sound, network, and modem. Recovery (or reinstallation) CDs contain proprietary software drivers and are necessary later when the operating system gets ragged and needs to be reinstalled, as often happens every 12 months or so. If the computer did not come with recovery CDs, please consider donating any genuine Operating System (Windows 98SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000) or Application CDs and End-User Licences that came with your computer.

Can my computer be used as it is?
The majority of computers between three and five years old are capable of carrying out all the operations that potential recipients will want to perform with their refurbished computers: word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, Internet browsing, and e-mail. We may install more RAM, bigger hard drives, modems, or network cards for computers to be used in schools. Computers up to three years of age usually contain sufficient hardware, so do not need to be updated.