Second Hand Computers & Components | Second Hand Electrical Appliances & Items

Buying a computer is a major purchase so its important to know the kind of computer that will meet all necessary requirements before deciding on the one to purchase. Generally, the term computer refers to any device that has a microprocessor -- usually we think of a computer as receiving input through a mouse or keyboard, processing data and displaying results on a screen.

Types of Computers
There are a lot of terms used to describe computers. These terms usually refer to the size, use or capability of the computer. There are also a lot of different types of computer available for both home and business use. The following list of definitions should help make the decision-making process more straightforward.

PC -- The PC (or personal computer/microcomputer) is designed either for general use by a single person or it can be linked with other PCs on a network. While a Mac/Apple computer is technically also a PC, this term is usually reserved for systems that run Microsofts Windows Operating System, used by IBM-type machines. Apple computers are usually referred to as MACs and do not run Windows but run their own operating software. A workstation is a PC with a powerful processor, added memory and expanded capabilities -- it may often be used for a special job, such as graphic design. A desktop computer is the term used for a PC that is not portable -- this kind of computer will be set up in a permanent location. Most desktops offer more power, storage and versatility at a lower cost than laptops. While IBM-type machines (PCs) are most often used for home and business use, MACs have excellent capabilities and intuitive operating requirements when dealing with multi-media, such as music, graphics, photos and video and can suit a variety of business and domestic needs.
Laptop/Notebook -- a laptop or notebook is a portable computer that integrates a display, keyboard, mouse-type pointing device or trackball, processor, memory and hard drive in a battery-operated case about the size of a sheet of paper. It is designed to be portable so it can be used in any location and can be taken out of the home/office for use elsewhere.
Palmtop/Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) -- Palmtops or PDAs are integrated, very small devices that use flash memory instead of a hard drive for storage. These computers rely on touch screen technology for input.
Server -- A server is a computer that provides services to other computers over a network.
Mainframe -- A mainframe is a huge computer that could fill an entire room and handle millions of transactions daily. Today such computers are more usually known as enterprise servers.
Minicomputer -- A minicomputer falls in between microcomputers (PCs) and mainframes (enterprise servers). Minicomputers are often known as mid-range servers.
Supercomputer -- A supercomputer is comprised of many high performance computers working in parallel as a single system.
Wearable Computers -- The latest trend is wearable computers. Here, common computer applications such as e-mail, databases, multimedia and calendars/diaries are integrated into watches, mobile phones and even clothing.

How to Buy a Second-hand Computer
Buying a second-hand computer can work out cheaper than going for a new model. The easiest way to check this is to go online to compare the prices of second-hand and new computer systems to get a feel for the market. Its important to have a clear idea of the things that the computer will need to do (i.e. will it be used as a simple word processor or will it need to be able to cope with more complex tasks such as game playing, streaming and downloading from the Internet) before coming to any decision. Then work out a budget and assess the best system that meets the budget -- getting an up to date and fast system with a lot of memory can potentially save money in the long term. Its a good tip to avoid buying a computer system that is more than two generations (i.e. two operating systems) old.

Check out each system before deciding which one to buy, using these tips to ensure a successful second-hand purchase:

The person selling the computer should have the original receipts, manuals and software disks. If the computer is relatively new it may also still come with a remaining warranty period. If buying second-hand from a computer shop they may give out their own warranty/guarantee if the computer has been refurbished. Don't use pirated software as there is no guarantee it will work correctly, it could harm the system and its illegal. If you get the sales receipts, you can be fairly sure the machine is not stolen. Having the manuals and software will help you troubleshoot problems, install software and peripherals and choose add-ons, etc. If the computer comes without the operating system software, then this will have to be purchased before the computer will work and it can be expensive. If it comes with the operating software already loaded on then check that the licenses are up to date. Bear in mind that if it is necessary to buy operating software then the computer -- if an older model -- may not have enough memory to run newer versions of the software. Computers sold at auctions often come without the operating software because they come from large company computer networks. They can't leave the software on the machine as their licenses would have been issued for their needs i.e. operating a network or multiple user setup -- and not for a single user license.
Look at the machines condition by checking for dents, broken parts and missing cables. Try out the floppy and/or CD drives and open a word processing program to check it loads OK. Then press each individual key to make sure they all work and try to print a document to test the printer. Take a look at the monitor and make sure that lines, text, and images on the display are not bent, distorted or discoloured. Any of these signs would indicate that the monitor is dying and monitors can be expensive to replace. An analogue or digital monitor, flat screen or LCD are all fine options here. Its also a good idea to open the most resource hungry programme that is loaded on the computer to test its speed and make sure it works properly.
If the computer is advertised as being capable of internet access, make sure that it has a working modem and software for it (for dial-up access) otherwise check out the way the previous owner accessed the Internet.
Ask how much memory and storage the machine has -- the more, the better. Most users will need a minimum of 256 megabytes of memory, but, if budget allows, go for at least 512MB or even 1GB if using demanding applications such as gaming, downloading and music and photo storage, for example. Memory and hard drive storage are relatively inexpensive and can be upgraded easily enough. If the computer will be used to play videos and/or games then look for better models that have a separate circuit board, called a video card, with the video processor and memory. For video cards, 64MB of RAM is fine. However, if there will be a lot of video work or advanced gaming, get a card with 128MB of RAM.
Nowadays most computers should come with optical read drives -- i.e. drives that can play CDs, DVDs or both. CD-RW drives will create/burn CDs -- these are the most common recording options but more expensive machines may have the ability to burn DVDs.

Take some time to assess the right kind of computer before making a purchase. Its important to do this research and then to look at both new and second-hand machines both over the Internet and in shops. The one to buy -- whether new or second-hand -- is the one that can meet needs and budget and that comes with the best speed, memory and storage capacities. If buying a second-hand machine, be sure to follow the above tips and try to get a guarantee.

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Second Hand Computers & Components

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Classified Ad Results ( 1 to 10 of 19 ads found )

09 May 2008

Desktop Computer..

Intel pentium 4 ,(3. 6ghz) 160gb harddrive 1gb of ddr2 memory geforce 6200,(256-memory), graphic card asus-dvd-rw excellent working order buyer to collect please. tel 07796037944 .

£200

CV7

Desktop PC + Desk..

80gb + 40gb hdd’s, 1gb ram, amd xp2800, dvd/cd-rw, dvd, floppy drive, xp pro sp2 +ms office. 17inch tft screen, printer, keyboard, wireless/optical mouse, speakers/mic, complete with purpose-built computer desk. excellent working order. .

£290

CW4

05 May 2008

E System computor tower..

E system 314, upgraded to vista home premium intel pentium4, extra memory fitted. clean and vista reinstalled, c/w vista installation and driver discs cost £300 when new jan 2007 buyer collects .

£100

WF12

03 May 2008

HP 6510B LAPTOP 2GB RAM 120GB HDD CORE 2 DUO 2.OGHZ FIN..

Hi everyone, 079 88 600 149 im selling 3 hp 6510b laptops they are part of a clear out from the office and the money is going to get split out spec is all the same all in mint condition core 2 duo 2. 0ghz 2gb ram 120gb hard drive x3100 graphics wireless (wifi) blue toot. .

£350

N16

02 May 2008

Making office life easier !..

making office life easier ! browse over $40, 000 computer product http://tinyurl. com/3yds59 .

Apple Mac Power PC Quad 2.5 ghz..

Apple mac power pc quad 2. 5 ghz 4. 5gb ram 2 x 250gb hard drives 19" lg monitor dvd writer keyboard and mouse comes with osx leapard software in good working condition although a couple of small marks on the case. a much loved and looked after item! .

£550

NW11

01 May 2008

pc components for sale..

Computer components for sale including 2dvd drives, usb expansion card, graphics card agp 6800gt and a power supply(only 2 months old baught in error) all in good working order. email for enquiries. .

S10

28 April 2008

HP nx6325 business laptop for sale..

Laptop is in a perfect working order and screen has no dead pixels or scratches. comes with windows vista business (32 bit) preinstalled. windows vista dvd and hp recovery software and drivers dvd included. comes with genuine license stickers for windows xp pro and vista busine. .

£320

27 April 2008

WD Raptor X 150GB Far sale.....

Western digital raptor x 150gb 10000rpm sata 16mb cache i will only accept payment by paypal. make me an offer. email : heatt003@sgfl. org. uk paypal email : heatt003@sgfl. org. uk delivery is free. as it weighs under 3kg.

ST1

25 April 2008

compaq presario pc..

Windows xp home edition amd sempron proccessor 3000+ 984mhz,512mb of ram 140 gb hard drive.

£200

KY8

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