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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: Musicman on Saturday 20 June 20 10:32 BST (UK)
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I'm sure this is a problem most of us encounter! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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Our council take 'small' electrical items with the weekly waste collection,under the Weee scheme.
My son told me to take the hard drive out and smash it up with a hammer though.
We have just taken a previous one to the tip also,again after smashing up the hard drive.
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Some charities take them, we format hard drive first [takes a while but removes all data].
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Some charities take them, we format hard drive first [takes a while but removes all data].
Sorry but all formatting the drive does is remove the "index" to the data most if not all the data can be recovered.
To remove the data it has to be overwritten and reformatting does not do that.
Cheers
Guy
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Turn it into a small fish tank ;D
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Screwdriver job, remove the hard drive, store or destroy if you have copied all the files you want then donate it to a charity clearly mentioning that the hard drive has been removed. CEX stores sell refurb hard drives for £10 to £20 so it's still a bargain for some hard up soul.
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Turn it into a small fish tank ;D
Which sort of "small fish" would you recommend? ::)
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Turn it into a small fish tank ;D
Which sort of "small fish" would you recommend? ::)
Guppies ? ;D
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Guppies ? ;D
Methinks tiddlers would be more apt!
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Guppies ? ;D
Methinks tiddlers would be more apt!
Guppies ? ;D
Methinks tiddlers would be more apt!
;D ;D ;D
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Turn it into a small fish tank ;D
Which sort of "small fish" would you recommend?
Goldfish are pretty small ;D
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As in Phish? ;D
Skoosh.
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My son told me to take the hard drive out and smash it up with a hammer though.
We have just taken a previous one to the tip also,again after smashing up the hard drive.
Smashing hard drives with a hammer is dangerous and should never be recommended.
Using the right software to wipe the disk should be sufficient (as Guy says, formatting alone doesn't work).
Removing the PCB by undoing the screws (not smashing it) and disposing of it separately makes it far more challenging to recover any data.
Opening the drive (by undoing the screws) will lead to contamination of the disk(s) sufficient to make it an expensive task (uneconomic) to recover any data.
Or leave the drive in the back of a cupboard or a drawer until it is so old the data has no value.
The hammer technique might sound like fun, but the other methods don't risk the loss of sight in someone's eye, broken bones, or the release of potentially damaging chemicals into the environment. :o
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MM - what did you do with your last one?
I have treated all my previous ones in the same way - remove the hard drive and either taken them to a recycling centre or donated them to a good cause.
I am making a sculpture out of the hard drives and including some old ram strips as well ;D
PS - glad to see you back :)
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Sorry but all formatting the drive does is remove the "index" to the data most if not all the data can be recovered.
To remove the data it has to be overwritten and reformatting does not do that.
Totally agree, Guy, I used the wrong word; I meant wipe it; Mr Josey used a proprietary software.
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https://www.pureplanetrecycling.co.uk/5-ways-not-to-destroy-your-hard-drive/
Skoosh.
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Depending where you are, there may be a local version of this;
https://www.scrapstore.co.uk/project-reboot
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https://www.wikihow.com/Destroy-a-Hard-Drive
I quite like this comment BTL:
blow torch, hammer and a couple of bullet holes. Even after that I'd bury it.
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I always drill a hole straight through the drive.
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I always drill a hole straight through the drive.
An alternative is to buy a hard drive caddy and use the old disc as additional external storage connected via usb cable.
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I always drill a hole straight through the drive.
An alternative is to buy a hard drive caddy and use the old disc as additional external storage connected via usb cable.
Yes it is an option, although more often than not by the time a PC is due for retirement the drive is an old generation, low capacity or large form factor model. These days I don't consider anything less than 1TB and/or small form factor worth keeping.
There's also the issue of old "spinning rust" drives probably nearing end of life. Using them for backup purposes is one thing, but I'd be vary wary of using them as additional storage, which would itself need to be backed up regularly, something that I know from experience (from a support point of view) isn't something that the average user does.
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MM - what did you do with your last one?
Ashamed to admit it - but, they're "up in Annie's room"! :D
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The retailer where I purchased my last PC offers a service to take in old electronic equipment for destruction. Very convenient.
:)
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I always take the hard drive out whilst wearing surgical gloves so as not to
scratch the very sensitive data surface. I then take it outside wearing safety glasses
and a face mask. I position the drive unit on top of a stone block that I have in the garden.
I change the surgical gloves for a pair of heavy duty welding gloves. I then pound the
hell outa the drive with a 4 lb lump hammer screaming at the top of my voice, " I told
yer what I would do if you let me down again. " Not only does it destroy the drive,
but it certainly releases a lot of pent up emotion that these new fangled machines cause.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
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Tomkin . . . thanks for the advice, but . . . . haven't got any of that gear - though I have got pack of 'Face Masks' as I will be going on a train journey soon (hopefully) and you now have wear one for the journey there and back - I've got to have a medical procedure! :o Plus, I wouldn't have the strength these days to lift that hammer you mentioned! :D
But, thanks for the info! ;D
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" though I have got pack of 'Face Masks' as I will be going on a train journey soon (hopefully) and you now have wear one for the journey "
Are you thinking of chucking the PC off the train? ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Are you thinking of chucking the PC off the train? ;D ;D ;D ;D
No way! Am hoping that my 'medical procedure' (cataracts) might happen sooner rather later - such ops were halted in March . . . hopefully, will start up again soon. And it'll be done in Norwich - hence the train journey! :)
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The retailer where I purchased my last PC offers a service to take in old electronic equipment for destruction. Very convenient.
:)
I'd still make sure there was no personal data readable on any drive before handing it over for recycling. Or remove any drive entirely.
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" Am hoping that my 'medical procedure' (cataracts) might happen sooner rather later"
Good luck mate, hope everything is successful.
" I'd still make sure there was no personal data readable on any drive before handing it over for recycling. Or remove any drive entirely."
Excellent advice from Angus :D
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A relation of mine purchased a reconditioned/updated computer from a 'reputable' shop. Worked OK for years... was very surprised to find porno pics on it. Couldn't understand where they'd come from !