Frequently Asked Questions

We accept:

Computers
Laptops
Mobile Phones & Tablets
Ethernet Cables & Power Cords
Monitors
Keyboards & Mice
Webcams & Microphones
DVD and VCR Players
Power Supplies & Chargers
Graphic & Network Cards
RAM & Hard Drives
Servers
Routers & Switches
LCD / Plasma TVs
Scanner
Cameras
Radios & Receivers
Stereos & Amplifiers
Turntables & Speakers
Gaming Consoles
Video Projectors

We do not accept:

Batteries
Flashlights
Electric
Typewriters
Microwave
Ovens
Smoke
Detectors
Appliances (including Air Conditioners)
Cash Registers
Motors
VHS tapes
Fax Machines
Telephones and Answering Machines

Free Geek Toronto accepts drop-offs of electronics on Fridays and Saturdays between 1 PM – 5 PM.

Let’s take a step back and get a bit technical. 

An operating system (OS) is a collection of software applications. When we talk about a Linux OS, we’re really saying it’s an operating system using the Linux kernel to build the rest of the OS using open-source software/applications. Open-source software is licensed with its source code publicly accessible, allowing users to study, modify and redistribute the software as required. This openness typically allows for greater customization and collaboration in development (which explains why over 500 active Linux-based operating systems exist).

Rather than have us explain it, here’s the answer from their website. Free Geek Toronto uses Linux Mint because it’s a full-featured operating system that is easy to use for both new and experienced computer users. We currently install Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon. 20.2 refers to the version of Linux Mint. Cinnamon refers to the desktop environment. Linux Mint can be installed with an XFCE, MATE, or Cinnamon desktop environment.

If all the software in your operating system can be studied and modified, you, the user, can customize your computer to run as you’d like it. This also means you can explore and dig into how your operating system works as much or as little as you want — it’s your choice!

Free Geek Toronto installs Linux Mint because:

- It’s a modern, full-featured operating system, one of the best alternatives to Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS. 
- It runs well on computers with limited/older resources, a.k.a. most of the computers Free Geek Toronto receives as donations. 
- Privacy - there’s no cloud-based account needed to download/run programs

While there are some limitations in terms of desktop software, web-browser applications work fine, as there’s Linux support for Firefox, Brave, Opera, Chrome, and Edge. Finally, Linux is the backbone of cloud-based infrastructure. Having it as your desktop creates comfort and familiarity, so if you decide to transition to an IT/Coding career, you already know a crucial component of the modern Internet.

In the start menu, select Administration.
Find the Users and Groups settings.
A new window should open asking for your current password. Enter it.
Select the user and click on the password, just below the user name.

In the new dialogue box, you will be asked for your current password before creating a new one. Enter your new password and then enter it again in the second box. If the password matches all requirements you can change it.

Do not delete the existing user! Doing this can cause errors to occur that are very difficult to fix. Please try changing the username, adding another account, or changing the password to personalize your computer.

Free Geek Toronto set up Linux Mint to automatically check and run updates. It’s one of the first things the operating system (OS) checks for and does. The OS is using resources to get this done, so it slows down everything else while it’s completing this task. Keeping your computer up-to-date is very important. You can manage/turn off this feature in Update Manager, the software that monitors and runs updates.

A couple of things to check: Is there a physical switch or button? Is there a key on the keyboard that disables network connectivity (often there’s an indicator light)? Can you see the network when you click on the icon in the bottom right corner? Did the OS turn off the wireless connection? Is the network you’re looking for in range?If these questions don’t lead to a solution, see if the Wi-Fi driver needs to be updated via the Driver Manager.

The Software Manager has a list of software available for Linux Mint. Preloaded software includes:

Web browsers: Mozilla Firefox & Google Chrome
‍Productivity Suite: LibreOffice
‍Media Player: VLC Player
‍Email client: Thunderbird
‍PDF Reader: Document Viewer

Linux Mint can run .deb files only; programs made for Red Hat Linux, Windows, Android, and macOS will not run in Linux Mint natively. Always be careful when downloading files from the internet. Only download files from trusted sources.

These programs don’t run in Linux Mint. There are alternatives like GIMP for image editing; LibreOffice can open, edit, and save as Microsoft Office files. Online services, like Microsoft Office 365 Web Apps or Google Suite will work on Linux Mint through the web browser.

No operating system is immune to viruses and computer viruses do exist for Linux but they mostly target Linux-based servers. While anti-virus software does exist for Linux operating systems, the best ways to stay protected are to have a firewall on, install software updates as they are released, only install software from official software sources, and use common sense when browsing the internet.As part of our installation process, Free Geek Toronto enables the firewall and automatic updates in Software Manager. If you’d like to install anti-virus software, please be careful when downloading them from the internet.

Please check with the Linux Mint official installation guide for more details. Please be careful when upgrading your computer as unexpected issues can occur.

Check out non-profit computer refurbishers across North America!

Canada
‍Free Geek Vancouver (Vancouver, BC)
‍CompuCorps (Ottawa, ON)
‍The Working Centre (Kitchener, ON)
‍Let’s Get Together (Toronto, ON)
‍PlanetGeek Toronto (Toronto, ON)
‍reBOOT Canada (Toronto, ON)

United States
‍Free Geek (Portland, OR)
‍Free Geek Chicago (Chicago, IL)
‍Free Geek Twin Cities (Minnesota, MN)
‍Free Geek Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)
‍Free Geek Penn (Ephrata, PA)
‍Free I.T. Athens (Athens, GA)

Non-Profit FreeNet
‍Toronto FreeNet (Toronto, ON)
‍National City FreeNet (Ottawa, ON)

Other Local Organizations
‍Toronto Mesh (Toronto, ON)
‍Civic Tech Toronto (Toronto, ON)
‍Greater Toronto Area Linux User Group (Toronto, ON)
‍HackLabTO (Toronto, ON)

General Reuse
‍Repair Cafe Toronto (Toronto, ON)
‍Toronto Tool Library (Toronto, ON)
‍Furniture Bank (Toronto, ON)
‍Creative Reuse Toronto (Toronto, ON)