Back from the Scrapyard

We often purchase new hardware to stay current, but we’re not above cannibalizing systems that break down in the line of duty, or even rebuilding them if enough components remain viable.

We are continually adding new (and occasionally rebuilt) hardware to our inventory.

One of our main compatibility testing systems (a Dell Alienware Aurora R3 that we’ve used intensively for a number of years) decided to die a messy death late last year (motherboard failure).

• After considerable disassembly of the chassis and cooling solution, we were able to rebuild the system for further use in testing.
• Other than the new motherboard, we kept the components stock to the original configuration – an Intel Core i5-2500K @ 3.3Ghz, 8GM physical RAM, and an AMD Radeon HD6950 video card.
• Thoroughly mid-range, but useful as a homogenous test environment for different video cards.

The case didn’t survive unscathed, however; after removing all of the extraneous plastic and unnecessary metal bits, this is what we’re left with:

Ugly, but it runs well and has already started (re)contributing to our hardware compatibility testing efforts.

While some may view our practice of repurposing and rebuilding hardware as unconventional, we see it as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach. By salvaging components from systems that have met their demise, we reduce waste and maximize the value of our investments.

Of course, this process is not without its challenges. Disassembling the chassis and cooling solution required meticulous attention to detail and expert knowledge of the system’s inner workings. But our dedicated team of testers rose to the occasion, carefully documenting each step and ensuring that every component was handled with precision.

Check back now and again if you are interested in what our newest testable hardware is, or contact us if you are interested in a more comprehensive listing of the systems and components we have in our labs.