I manage a remote team of under 100 users across the US, and our approach to tech refresh is pretty much to run our machines into the ground. I've been able to upgrade many of our devices from Windows 10 to Windows 11, but there are still a handful—about eight machines—that just don't meet upgrade requirements and can't be replaced. Eventually, these non-upgradable machines will just sit in a storage cart. So, I'm wondering, what should I do with them?
5 Answers
If they’re not too ancient, you might try to force the Windows 11 upgrade. There are a few hacks out there that can help you bypass the requirements, but it’s a bit of a gray area.
Check around for local charities or tech groups. Some love to take in old machines, clean them up, and give them to schools or individuals in need.
That's a fantastic idea! I’ll look for similar organizations near me.
You could recycle them! Just drop them off at an e-waste facility. But make sure to check for local guidelines as some places might charge a fee for recycling.
Where do you recycle? I found most sites in NC are either offline or charge a lot.
If recycling isn't an option, consider breaking them down for parts. Sell off any usable components on eBay or donate them locally. Just make sure to wipe any data first.
Great tips! Just wiping the drives isn’t enough; you should also physically destroy them to be safe.
Another option is to install a lightweight Linux distribution on those machines. They could still be useful for basic tasks and might even run for another few years! You could also consider donating them if they're in decent condition.
Imagine turning them into a Beowulf cluster or something! That would be awesome!
Do you know how to actually do that? A friend said something about registry edits.