# Anything to do with a dead iMac? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909 "2013-10-10T18:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/1 "2013-10-10T18:45:52Z")
My imac G5 (first gen intel mac from 2006) went dead on me a couple months ago. (probably the motherboard.) I’ve contacted a local company that recycle mac computers, for spare parts and such, but this model doesn’t interest them. I’ve taken off (cleanly) the new hard drive I had put inside last year, to get back my data to my new computer (not a mac), but is there anything I can do with the remains of this computer? Is there a market for a used mac mouse and mac keyboard? Is it worth it to try to sell the OS DVD (snow leopard)? Maybe I could empty the case, take off the display and make houseplants grow inside? I just can’t resolve myself to put it to the trash. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/2 "2013-10-10T18:53:06Z")
Make a [fish tank](http://www.imacquarium.com/)! ---
**Author:** ![pabstist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e99b99/32.png) [@pabstist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pabstist)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/3 "2013-10-11T01:49:32Z")
Donate it to a local theater or school drama department to use as a prop. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/4 "2013-10-11T02:31:37Z")
I sold mine for $100 on gumtree.com.au , a local swap/sell site. I made sure it was obvious it was good for parts only, gave my guesstimate of what part was faulty, and it sold in a couple of days. I was expecting it to be bought by some computer repair outfit, but in fact it was a collector who wants one of every Mac model ever released … ! ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/5 "2013-10-11T03:52:15Z")
Nitpick: It can be an iMac G5, or it can be an Intel iMac. It can’t be both. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/6 "2013-10-11T04:18:51Z")
Baseball bat/crowbar and alleyway. It’s fun! Either that, or check if your area has a free electronics recycling program. They usually do it a weekend day or two every month or a few times a year. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/7 "2013-10-11T06:50:53Z")
Thanks for the suggestions guys! > [@Doug\_K](#): > > Nitpick: It can be an iMac G5, or it can be an Intel iMac. It can’t be both. :smack: Ha indeed, you’re right! Mine is an imac intel polycarbonate so I always get it confused with the G5. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/8 "2013-10-11T17:00:43Z")
Go through its pockets and look for loose change? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/9 "2013-10-13T07:44:25Z")
I still have a PowerMac 8500 and a G5 . . . both with monitors that I can barely lift. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/10 "2013-10-13T16:08:56Z")
Get a multicolored beach ball and a motor, and mount them on it? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/11 "2013-10-13T21:28:03Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Get a multicolored beach ball and a motor, and mount them on it? 😃 Don’t know if you’ve seen this or not: [Beach Closing - The Perry Bible Fellowship](http://www.pbfcomics.com/259/) ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/12 "2013-10-14T02:52:18Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > 😃 Don’t know if you’ve seen this or not: [Beach Closing - The Perry Bible Fellowship](http://www.pbfcomics.com/259/) Beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![BrianJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/13 "2013-10-15T18:17:52Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Baseball bat/crowbar and alleyway. It’s fun! > > Either that, or check if your area has a free electronics recycling program. They usually do it a weekend day or two every month or a few times a year. In my area Best Buy, and other locations, I guess, collect electronics for recycling any time. its a government supported program. Also there si an awesome spoof of those old Mac ads on youtube. I can’t look it up from work though. Basically the Mac guys says he isnt feeling well. he goes off screen where there is a gunshot. Thena new Mac guy comes in and says ‘I’m a mac’. The PC guy says he’ll miss the old one ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/14 "2013-10-15T19:12:48Z")
The universal solution for large, dead or useless tech: “Drill two holes in it and use it as a boat anchor.” ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-to-do-with-a-dead-imac/670909/15 "2013-10-19T11:16:29Z")
I ended up selling it on ebay for 100 euros. 🙂 I’m happy to have this dead weight taken off me.