The [H]ardForum Perpetual Freebies Thread

Gearing up for a build. (Hopefully this one will be too nice for the Ghetto Mods Thread...) Does anyone have a whole bunch of thumbscrews that they want to get rid of? Looking for about 15-20 of each common computer type -- 6-32 and M3. Would prefer something that isn't made of eBay's favorite plastic ;) Also looking for 3/8" brass mobo standoffs, need 4 of those (although if you want to give me more for the same shipping cost, I won't argue!)

Would prefer to get them all from one source. I ain't got a money tree in my backyard :p

ZIP here is 27344.

Just-hit-the-submit-button-edit -- no, I'm not paying FrozenCPU $0.40+ for each one, and I *really* don't like the idea of ordering from China or Hong Kong (or eBay in general).
 
starhawk said:
Gearing up for a build. (Hopefully this one will be too nice for the Ghetto Mods Thread...) Does anyone have a whole bunch of thumbscrews that they want to get rid of? Looking for about 15-20 of each common computer type -- 6-32 and M3. Would prefer something that isn't made of eBay's favorite plastic ;) Also looking for 3/8" brass mobo standoffs, need 4 of those (although if you want to give me more for the same shipping cost, I won't argue!)

Would prefer to get them all from one source. I ain't got a money tree in my backyard :p

ZIP here is 27344.

Just-hit-the-submit-button-edit -- no, I'm not paying FrozenCPU $0.40+ for each one, and I *really* don't like the idea of ordering from China or Hong Kong (or eBay in general).
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I got a 5lb bag of assorted computer screws a few years ago from ebay from some guy that parted out computers. There were thumbscrews, standoffs, clips, etc. I think I paid $10 shipped for it, and I haven't used even half of it yet.
 
doubt anyone has a DVD/CD drive they would be willing to part with for shipping cost, huh? Also it's a long shot but if anyone has any condition working LCD screen I would pay shipping plus a couple bucks for that too since I been wanting to get one for my Dad.... He's disabled and plays on the computer a lot and I gave him a decent computer but he's still on an old CRT
 
Kuurus said:
doubt anyone has a DVD/CD drive they would be willing to part with for shipping cost, huh? Also it's a long shot but if anyone has any condition working LCD screen I would pay shipping plus a couple bucks for that too since I been wanting to get one for my Dad.... He's disabled and plays on the computer a lot and I gave him a decent computer but he's still on an old CRT
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I have a 16x LG or LiteOn (not positive on which it is since I'm at work right now) IDE DVD-RW drive on my desk at home Assuming you're in the US, then send me a PM with your address, and I'll get it out to you in the next day or two.
 
Kuurus said:
doubt anyone has a DVD/CD drive they would be willing to part with for shipping cost, huh? Also it's a long shot but if anyone has any condition working LCD screen I would pay shipping plus a couple bucks for that too since I been wanting to get one for my Dad.... He's disabled and plays on the computer a lot and I gave him a decent computer but he's still on an old CRT
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i think you can get it for 40 plus shipping on ebay

i have one friend have one he is selling for 25
i guess best for you is get lcd locally
also you can try freerecycle.org on your city.
 
Actually I just checked.... I thought I could go IDE or Sata because I'm just replacing my younger sisters after it burned out on her..... however she has one of those thin little dell systems and the board doesn't have IDE so it has to be SATA
 
Kuurus said:
Actually I just checked.... I thought I could go IDE or Sata because I'm just replacing my younger sisters after it burned out on her..... however she has one of those thin little dell systems and the board doesn't have IDE so it has to be SATA
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Are you sure? Ones I've seen tend to have at least one IDE port these days. Sadly I have only an assortment of IDE drives. If you just need CD, I have an external CD burner you could use as well.
 
ryan_975, I sent you a PM this morning... haven't heard back yet. Not upset, just a little confused.

Also, does anyone have switch caps? I need two, color doesn't matter (go krylon fusion!), but they need to fit a switch with an approx. 2mm*3mm rectangular actuator. If they're round, then the max dia. is 7-8mm. If square, 6mm/side scrapes by but should work (if not, I've plenty of "exacto" knives for fixing the problem). They don't need to be super tall... 5-10mm height is fine.
 
Anyone got a socket 775 mobo they'd be willing to pass on for a core 2 duo or higher?

I've got 4-5 sticks or 1gb ram for laptops pulled from netbooks or recent times. free to good homes. you pay for shipping of course. I will also test them again before sending.
 
Cataulin said:
Anyone got a socket 775 mobo they'd be willing to pass on for a core 2 duo or higher?

I've got 4-5 sticks or 1gb ram for laptops pulled from netbooks or recent times. free to good homes. you pay for shipping of course. I will also test them again before sending.
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I have one, it has 1.5 gigs DDR ram and agp port, u pay shipping tho..
 
Anyone have a socket A/370 heatsink with a multiple lug hold down on it? I partially snapped the main lug off a network appliance tonight and don't feel comfortable with the piece that's left being all that holds it on.

Thanks
 
Got some stuff for you guys.

IDE cables, if anyone else still uses them. I'm DROWNING in these damn things. Take as many as you want... I can probably fit five or so in a 9x12 padded envelope, and more if you want to pay for priority mail boxes.

A PSION Organizer II. It does NOT work. All I know is, one day I went to turn it on and it didn't. Not something I care to pull apart and try to diagnose, considering I have neither logic analyzer nor means to acquire one. Doubly so because it's literally as old as I am -- and I'm 26! (Considering it died last year, a quarter-century run isn't too bad for modern electronics!)

A set of Sharper Image portable speakers, model # SE050. Got 'em on store-goin-bust closeout sale. It takes three of *your* AAA batteries. Speakers flip open and closed, since they're meant for travel. The cable has a fault in it, only one side will produce sound most of the time -- wiggle the cable just right (I've found "just right" for a split second, a couple times) and it will work properly. A pity about the damage, since they're actually not bad for their size -- the fact that they are a little tinny is perfectly excusable given the form factor.

I ship USPS, either First Class, Parcel Post, or Priority Mail -- your choice. I accept, in order of preference, Paypal, concealed cash, and USPS money orders, to cover cost of shipping. I won't ship outside of the US (sorry, just too much hassle and worry on my end). I am also open to trades -- if you want to barter rather than pay for shipping, I can definitely do that.

PM me if you're interested, and we'll go from there.
 
wow. maybe because its the H freebies thread? this is the kind of stuff i've thrown out in the past, only to see not that much later someone asking for one for a project, fun, etc.
 
Anyone need cpu?


10psxn9.jpg
 
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What motherboard is that Athlon64 on? I have an A64 4000+ that I can't test because I don't have a board for it...
 
starhawk said:
What motherboard is that Athlon64 on? I have an A64 4000+ that I can't test because I don't have a board for it...
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A dead board. Got a free 939 mobo from omegatotal and the 3200+ was in it. I pulled my 4000+ out of the above board and put the 3200+ in so it doesn't get lost.
 
Something that needs to be said, per dashpuppy's now-erased comment, which I think was a very good question, deserving of an answer. Here's my response...

I do have a lot of "junk" --most of it deserving of that word-- and I do have an unfortunate habit of trying to dump it here in the freebies thread. I have it, and I put it here because...

...because it's all I've got and I know I can't get money for it.

I'm poor. I live with my disabled mother. We have just under ~$1k/mo to live on (her disability check) and what is probably best termed Houdini's Food Stamp Allotment... because parts of it disappear fairly regularly, and for some fairly imaginative reasons.

If anyone is willing to trade my shit for something far better, I'd love to know about it. I've got all sorts of lovely hardware here, most of it half a decade behind the curve if not even farther out. I want it gone... really, I do... but I don't want to take any more of it to the dump. I'm an environmentalist... it weighs on me... even though there's an eWaste recycler that handles it. You CANNOT in this day and age recycle that stuff in an environmentally responsible --let alone friendly-- way. It's simply not possible yet.

I've got more IDE desktop hard drives than I could use in a lifetime. Half of them are under 40gig. I've got a couple GALLONS of those IDE cables to go with them. I've got a couple sticks of RDRAM, and one or two (I forget) sticks of something that looks to be ECC DDR1. I've even got networking gear -- a 3com SuperStack II that is currently rackmountable (although I'm not sure that it was originally) and a Hawking switch with no power supply (bastards made it run off 3.3v... good effing luck). I've got five or six 462 boards and enough matching procs for three times that, easy. I've got three desktops (local to 27344, unless you want to take a risk -- I've never shipped desktop before). One is an HP S7220n slimline, one is an upgraded (but I don't remember how much) eMachines T2596, and the third is in pieces right now, but it's a Compaq with an AM2 proc in it IIRC. I have three dozen desktop optical drives, all IDE, almost all combo drives (there are a tiny number of DVD burners and read-only CD/DVD drives -- but I'm pretty sure I've weeded out the CD-RW and CD-ROM drives!) I have two old laptops, a Dell 600m and a Compaq EVO N610c. Both need batteries, hard drives, and chargers, but a friend of mine helped me test 'em and they do pass POST.

I will GLADLY cover shipping if anyone will take some of this stuff AND send me something nice in return. I don't even want this crap any more.

EDIT: already got offers for the two laptops. I'm blown away! ... BTW, about those hard drives... the quantity I've got is a full-to-the-brim metal 2drawer file cabinet from like the 80s. It's an 18" wide model IIRC. Anyone planning a retro NAS build? :p
 
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More junk. Actually, there's one item here that MIGHT be useful to someone. I'll start with that, then.

It's a laptop power brick, one of those eBay ones. (They're actually pretty solid.) This one is "supposed" to work with a Gateway 600YGR, but the connector doesn't fit right. IIRC, it also works with some Acer laptops... it's a 19V 3.42A model, so if you want to futz with the connector, it will go in any laptop with that voltage and UP TO that amperage. Here's two pics... sorry about the gigantic flash-reflection on the second pic. (I tried it without flash and it was darker than a closeup of Darth Vader's helmet.)


I've also got a DVI-to-Dual-VGA converter cable. It's got every pin --except one-- on the DVI connector. No idea what that missing pin normally does, or why it's missing. All I know is... it's DVI on one end, and two female VGA connectors (numbered for your convenience) on the other. I severely doubt that there's a scan converter in there somewhere, so you're almost certainly looking at a passive cable. Here's pix...


Lastly, a TomTom base/charger/something with a USB plug on its cable. I don't know precisely what this goes to, but if you do, it's yours! (I rather suspect it attaches to a GPS receiver of some sort, but I can only guess... does TomTom make anything else?)


I know I'm horrible with a camera, you don't need to tell me :D although I do hope you can see actual images this time, and not just motion blur. (Just FYI: I do not drink coffee at all ever, although you wouldn't know it from my photos!)
 
starhawk said:
Something that needs to be said, per dashpuppy's now-erased comment, which I think was a very good question, deserving of an answer. Here's my response...
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you should never have to explain yourself. What you have to offer for free should never be criticized by anyone.

And if i had some shipping money, i'd swipe that slimline or one of those other boards from you. that little bugger would make a good server.
 
True, but I'm honestly surprised that it hadn't already come up. Most of the stuff in here is worth a little money at least, but I've got some seriously useless shit!

PM me with a trade offer and I'll see if we can't work something out to cover shipping. Remember, my trade policy is "you pay your shipping, I'll pay mine" ;)

I'll also note that the HP Slimline is pending to another [H]er right now...
 
starhawk said:
True, but I'm honestly surprised that it hadn't already come up. Most of the stuff in here is worth a little money at least, but I've got some seriously useless shit!

PM me with a trade offer and I'll see if we can't work something out to cover shipping. Remember, my trade policy is "you pay your shipping, I'll pay mine" ;)

I'll also note that the HP Slimline is pending to another [H]er right now...
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as they say, One man's trash....you know the rest.

missed out on the slimline already!?...blarg! :D
 
starhawk said:
Most of the stuff in here is worth a little money at least, but I've got some seriously useless shit!.
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Hey.........I had a "pile" too, and if I hadn't thrown a bunch of older stuff away, I could have sent it to the [H] members that were looking for it after the fact.

You never know what someone will want.
 
Need some stuff... happy to trade what I've got (noted elsewhere in this thread) to cover shipping if that works for you -- or to even things out if you need me to. I'd like to get these items from the same person if possible. My ZIP here is 27344.

The first thing I need is an HDMI->VGA adapter. Passive ("just wires") adapters do not work here. I'm using this with a CX-01 Android Cloud Stick (traded for here on [H]) and its video-out is pure digital HDMI. Something like this will work fine, but I don't have the dough for that in my Paypal right now, and won't for a couple weeks.

If the HDMI->VGA adapter is that exact design -- with a *male* HDMI port on the end, I'll also need a female-to-female gender-changer.

I can pick up a USB hub from my local tech shop for about $5, but if you've got both items above AND a spare hub that you can throw in there, I'm not about to argue!

Thanks folks.
 
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I have pm'ed starhawk bout his memory and the hp slimline. but i'm in the same position as him. so if anyone needs ide cables, i/o plates, 256mb 333 or 400 spd ddr memory, skt 775 single core chips send me a pm. i have plenty other stuff to give away.
 
Heads up for you folks... Buschman this is in a PM I've sent you... the RAM is actually ECC PC100 (my memory sucks balls :( ) and the HP is pending.
 
starhawk said:
The first thing I need is an HDMI->VGA adapter. Passive ("just wires") adapters do not work here. I'm using this with a CX-01 Android Cloud Stick (traded for here on [H]) and its video-out is pure digital HDMI. Something like this will work fine, but I don't have the dough for that in my Paypal right now, and won't for a couple weeks.
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FYI, all HDMI to VGA adapters that are a dongle are passive. The HDMI signal has to also support analog mode for it to display through to VGA.

There is no digital to analog conversion being done with an adapter like that.

A good rule of thumb is to get something that has a power plug on it. Any actual conversion will require additional power over what the port is providing for its signals to a monitor.

http://www.dhgate.com/hdmi-to-vga-d...-with/r-ff8080812d2615ac012d2632093c563f.html

Specifically, what you are looking for is a "Digital to Analog Converter", not just an "HDMI to VGA Adapter."
 
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What I need is not just a DAC -- that I could /make/ with a fistful of resistors (an R-2R ladder DAC is about as cheap as it gets). What I need is a "scan converter" -- the hsync and vsync signals in HDMI (and, FWIW, DVI as well) are thrown in with the pixel data, so one needs at least an FPGA chip to convert, if not a really nice microcontroller.

More specifically... HDMI and DVI both use the same signalling system; it's called TMDS. When it's not transmitting "pixel information" (colors and locations), it can send "control information" -- including commands to the display as well as hsync/vsync. There are no wires specifically dedicated to sync signals in TMDS the way there are in older (=VGA, etc.) connectors and protocol specifications. If you really want the gory details, here's the spec itself (courtesy of a link at Wikipedia).

If it weren't for that, I'd be going to Mouser Electronics (or maybe even Radio Shack!) and spending about $5 on a few components and some perfboard. I can solder acceptably well for passive components.

In the meantime I've sent an email to the ebay seller. When I get a response I'll post it as an update and go from there.
 
Somebody actually criticized Starhawk for the quality of his crap?

I have traded tons of stuff with the guy, he is a freebies thread member in good standing as far as I'm concerned.

You want "better" free stuff?
 
Hey, that's been settled. I talked to the member in question and things worked out just fine.

No need to rekindle a fire that's out, OK?
 
starhawk said:
What I need is not just a DAC -- that I could /make/ with a fistful of resistors (an R-2R ladder DAC is about as cheap as it gets). What I need is a "scan converter" -- the hsync and vsync signals in HDMI (and, FWIW, DVI as well) are thrown in with the pixel data, so one needs at least an FPGA chip to convert, if not a really nice microcontroller.
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Fair point and you're right. Just keeping the explanation simple. But yes, it's more than what just a passive dongle will get you. Tricky part is differentiating between the two which is why I gave the rule of thumb. Once you start throwing chips into the mix, that tends to require more power. Hence... power plug.
 
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