That old computer sitting in your garage or basement isn't necessarily a useless piece of junk. Even old computers have parts that can be stripped and used with other working computers. You can use the parts to replace broken parts on other computers, sell the parts, or use the parts from several stripped computers to build a new computer. The practice of stripping computers for parts to use in other computers is commonly referred to as "cannibalizing." The logic behind cannibalizing is that you can keep three broken computers or cannibalize one and have two working computers.
How to Strip a Desktop Computer
Shut down the computer and disconnect all cables and peripherals, including the power cable.
Open the computer case by removing the screws on the back panel and sliding the side or sides off.
Disconnect all internal cables that connect computer parts together and remove them from the case if possible.
Unscrew the hard drives and optical drives from the computer's bays and slide them out. The drives might be screwed in on multiple sides.
Disconnect all peripheral cards from the motherboard -- they look like boards sticking perpendicularly out of the computer -- by removing the screw mechanism holding the edge of each card in place and gently pulling the card away from the computer.
Remove the memory modules by depressing the lever on the locking mechanisms on both ends of each stick and lifting the sticks out.
Remove the computer's power supply by unscrewing it from the case and sliding it out of the holding mechanism.
Disconnect the motherboard from the case by removing the screws that hold the board to the case. There are usually seven to 12 screws.
How to Strip a Laptop Computer
Shut down the computer, disconnect the power cable, and eject the battery. The battery is usually removed from the back of the computer and has one or two slider switches that you push to release it.
Turn the laptop upside down and remove all the screws holding down removable panels on the bottom of the computer.
Slide all the removable panels off the bottom of the laptop -- you may need to use a wedge.
Remove the hard drive from the laptop if you can see it under one of the removed panels.
Slide the memory modules up and out to remove them if you can see them. You may need to release the modules by pushing some retaining levers.
Remove the screws or slide the eject levers -- similar to the ones on the battery -- connecting the optical disc drive to the laptop, if the laptop has one. The drive should then slide out.