Should I return PC?

HereToday

Terrysdelight said:

MalMonroe said:

Oh no, that looks nasty!! I agree with everyone who says send it back for a refund. Occasionally you do get people selling things like that who may actually think that they've done a great job of 'refurbishing' but unfortunately they haven't. Thank goodness for that guarantee. 

Have you thought about a nice laptop instead? 

I have a laptop but I really do prefer a desktop pc.  Plus I am trying to start a small business up from home - when I close my office/spare bedroom door, I really don't want to look at my laptop and be reminded of work.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/18037131943 would be my choice,  Interesting, since it's the same price as the MiniTower i3 model with an HDD. This one has a Small Form Factor.
Very good price and relatively new, as compared to the 7010. 
Though to be honest I think it's just a mistake in the listing.

If it is, look here instead: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dell-Optiplex-5040-PC-Upgraded-hardrive-M-2-SSD-Professionally-refurbished/224263417928 £6 at CEX for another 4GB RAM module.

CoastingHatbox

fred246 said:

There is no point taking something apart and putting it back together for no reason. These are large assignments of PCs that are judged 'end of life' by companies who don't want to maintain them anymore. Instead of putting them in landfill the bits that are likely to fail are removed and replaced. Microsoft helps by providing refurbished Windows Licences. If a computer loads Windows it is probably working OK. The computer can then go to someone who can use it to get on the internet cheaply. The lockdown has shown loads of families that don't have enough PCs for their children's education. These PCs are very low cost and are likely to be reasonably reliable. I always remember working on my house. I could hear the neighbours shouting at each other. They were arguing about who's turn it was to use the computer. One of them threw a plate and then the other shouted "I can throw plates too" . I don't know how many plates were smashed that evening. I had a garage full of old PC components. I could have easily gone round with another PC for them but it would have been too embarrassing for them to know I had heard what was going on.

This is literally the resellers responsibility. I have bought a number of refurbished computers and parts over the years, both for myself and relatives. I received one laptop that resembles the machine above, which didn't have an SSD caddy resulting in the SSD getting disconnected in transit. The laptop would randomly reboot when left on so it was duly returned. Otherwise, the purchases I've made have been sound.

Companies will pay for disposal of their electronic waste, to EEE standards. The refurbishers assess, test and refurbish/resell what they can as this increases their revenue and helps the bottom line. Most machines, by the time they are old enough to be disposed off by a company, will need to have their heatsinks removed, cleaned and re-fitted with fresh thermal compound. Thus the internals of any machine re-sold should be inspected as a matter of course and shouldn't be shipped to a customer caked full of dust.

Microsoft don't sell or provide refurbished licenses. Most PCs resold by refurbishers are using the original OEM license they left the factory with.

DiddyDavies

fred246 said:

Do these PCs work? I think the point is that you get a working PC rather than a cosmetically good PC. They have been in offices for years.

Even if it does work, that only means that it works now and won't suddenly fail when one of the internal connections or solder joints fails due to corrosion and by that time, getting a refund or replacement may well be far harder.
As there is so much muck and corrosion visible now, I wonder how much there is that can't be seen and it's this hidden stuff that could cause a future problem.