Evaluation

Evaluation or "Eval" is the stage at which we determine whether a donation can be refurbished or will need to be recycled.

http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Teaching_Eval_Overview is a good starting point for understanding how Mothership does it. I've not been through their program, but I have torn down plenty of machines so I'm taking a stab at a basic framework here.

Eval steps

1. Inspect the device for physical defects. If it's so badly damaged that we can't safely power it up, then we will dismantle it if it has reusable parts, or just recycle it (for example, there is little or nothing in a CRT to reuse, and they are dangerous to work inside.)
2. Power up the device. If it doesn't burst into flames, then we celebrate briefly.

Computers

1. If it's a computer, see if it will POST.
   1. If POST is successful, then try a live boot from CD or USB device. Run lshw --html > hardware.html (or filename of your choice- this file will be renamed later to a unique name based on the root UUID.)
      1. If the machine boots and mounts its drives, then perform Data Destruction.
   2. If POST is unsuccessful, we can troubleshoot it. Often the hardware will emit error codes to the display or via beeps. Otherwise we can try replacing the CMOS battery or perhaps pulling a "BIOS reset" jumper if one exists.

Displays

1. If it's a monitor, see if it acquires a video sync to a test computer. If it does not, it's a recycle. It may be possible and/or practical to repair LCD monitors (at least replacing lamps) but CRTs are dangerous and worth too little in reuse for us to bother with IMO.

Cell phones and other personal electronics

1. If it's a cell phone, check out that link for recycling instructions. I think that until a viable Free Software system exists for phones that we will not reuse them. This is a moving target, contact user:Koanhead for information about what's going on. Perhaps if we get a lot of phones in then we can form a WG to do something about this. We haven't received any yet.

Printers

1. If it's a printer, recycle it. Printers other than big, chunky departmental-size laser printers are not worth attempting to reuse IMO. Typical consumer inkjet or dye-sub or impact printers are generally built with planned obsolescence in mind. Much easier to simply recycle them if we can find someone to take them. These large laser printers meant for the corporate market can last decades. Their parts are rather expensive, but they are relatively cheap to run (compared to the cheap inkjets).

Network Devices

1. If it's a network device (switch, router, etc) power it on. Some devices are "smart" and others are "dumb". A smart device can accomodate a serial console connection. We should try to access the interface using a console connection and if possible reset to the factory defaults.

Work is ongoing on automated eval and the inventory database. Please see Inventory tracking database for more information. In the meantime, please use the temporary Inventory spreadsheet