Manuals for Refurbishing Computers

TechSoup has long been an advocate of computer refurbishment as the most environmental form of computer recycling and also as a valuable source of low or no-cost IT equipment for nonprofits, NGOs, libraries, and low-income people.

Refurbishment centers range in size and complexity from highly-professional factory remanufacturing plants to small, informal operations that produce a few computers each month for use in offices, training labs, public access terminals, or for distribution to clients.

Below, we have a series of free “how-to” resources for developing your own refurbishment program or capacity. These resources include a set of seven start-up toolkits sponsored by Microsoft as well as two start-up manuals created by veteran computer refurbishers who have their own refurbishment programs -- Pat Furr of Computers for Classrooms in Chico, California, and Bruce Buckelew of Oakland Technology Exchange West (OTX West) in Oakland, California. See a video demonstration from Computers for Classrooms.

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Microsoft

• Warehouse Operations (1 MB PDF)
• Triage (2 MB PDF)
• Hard Drive Wiping (2 MB PDF)
• OS Installation (2 MB PDF)
• Laptops and Donations (2 MB PDF)
• Support Troubleshooting (2 MB PDF)
• Demanufacturing (2 MB PDF)

Computers for Classrooms, Inc

• Computers for Classrooms Creating a Successful Resuse Program (264 KB PDF)

Oakland Technology Exchange West

• Building Connections OTXWest Computer Reuse Manual (259 KB PDF)