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Laptop Disposal

CAA_Beat

CAA_Beat

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I have a nine year old Gateway laptop that has basically been a paperweight the past four or five years.

I want to dispose of it, but of course Michelle is worried that personal info of ours might still be on there. It doesn't even boot up all the way now, and if it did I'm not sure is remember the logon.

What's the best way to get rid of it and at the same time ease her concerns that someone won't go on an retrieve whatever personal info is there?
 
I'd just take it to a local repair shop and they should be able to wipe the drive and they should be able to recycle it.

If they won't recycle it I know best buy and stores like that have a program as well.
 
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Charge your GPS watch in the USB port...with the watch/magnet charger on the keyboard. :banghead:
 
O'Carroll said:
Charge your GPS watch in the USB port...with the watch/magnet charger on the keyboard. :banghead:
Click to expand...

Well now that does sound very original :)
 
I just took the hard drive out of the only I got rid of a few years ago and threw it away. I think I still have the HD in the garage but I smashed it up with a hammer.
 
O'Carroll said:
Charge your GPS watch in the USB port...with the watch/magnet charger on the keyboard. :banghead:
Click to expand...
Ouch! Hope you had a backup.
CAA_Beat said:
I have a nine year old Gateway laptop that has basically been a paperweight the past four or five years.

I want to dispose of it, but of course Michelle is worried that personal info of ours might still be on there. It doesn't even boot up all the way now, and if it did I'm not sure is remember the logon.

What's the best way to get rid of it and at the same time ease her concerns that someone won't go on an retrieve whatever personal info is there?
Click to expand...
She has a valid concern. The hard drive is fairly easy to access by those who do this for a living. My recommendation is to remove the hard drive and degauss it (a very strong magnet should work) or better yet reuse the hard drive as additional storage / backup for your current system. Hard drive enclosures are inexpensive.
 
Most places you can recycle your computer can take care of the hard drive as well and give you a certificate of destruction on the data. usually a 5$ or less fee per hard drive around here.

You can also do a full format 4 or 5 times then take a hammer to it. :)
 
DufferToo said:
She has a valid concern. The hard drive is fairly easy to access by those who do this for a living. My recommendation is to remove the hard drive and degauss it (a very strong magnet should work) or better yet reuse the hard drive as additional storage / backup for your current system. Hard drive enclosures are inexpensive.
Click to expand...

I did this. I bought an enclosure off of Newegg and saved it as a back up. Turned out I had files on there that I'm glad I didn't lose.
 
Reformatted it and then removed and beat the crap,out of it with a sledge..........the rest of the computer went to the recycle at the dump
 
Drills through the hard drive are always best. If you have a drive you want to donate, run DBAN on it a few times (freeware you burn to CD) and that'll completely obliterate any data on it.
 
I prefer writing 0s and 1s to a format. Or write over the drive with random.
checkered said:
Most places you can recycle your computer can take care of the hard drive as well and give you a certificate of destruction on the data. usually a 5$ or less fee per hard drive around here.

You can also do a full format 4 or 5 times then take a hammer to it. :)
Click to expand...
 
lightningbolt44 said:
Take the hard drive out and drill a few holes through it after wiping it.
Click to expand...

^^This is what I do^^...format hard drive then take a drill with a 1/2" drillbit.
 
sudseh said:
I prefer writing 0s and 1s to a format. Or write over the drive with random.
Click to expand...

Hence the hammer at the end of my option. hahaha :)
 
if you have the original install disks you could go the easier route and reformat the hard drive and reinstall the OS. Do it twice for extra oomph.
 
fupresti said:
if you have the original install disks you could go the easier route and reformat the hard drive and reinstall the OS. Do it twice for extra oomph.
Click to expand...
Reformatting may appear to get rid of your data but it is still accessible. I do agree it is something that should be done. But other things need to be done as well
 
I yanked the HD on my old gateway and threw out the computer. I then abused the HD beyond repair. Drill, hammer, and magnets.
 
Laptop Disposal

russtopher said:
Drills through the hard drive are always best. If you have a drive you want to donate, run DBAN on it a few times (freeware you burn to CD) and that'll completely obliterate any data on it.
Click to expand...

sudseh said:
I prefer writing 0s and 1s to a format. Or write over the drive with random.
Click to expand...

fupresti said:
if you have the original install disks you could go the easier route and reformat the hard drive and reinstall the OS. Do it twice for extra oomph.
Click to expand...

lightningbolt44 said:
Reformatting may appear to get rid of your data but it is still accessible. I do agree it is something that should be done. But other things need to be done as well
Click to expand...

Ok these are all way above my paygrade. Plus remember it doesn't even not up every time and I have no idea what the logon password would be.


Thus I'm liking Toads solution. I don't have a gun, but maybe I can find a local range and make a target donation :)
 
Remove the battery and take it to Best Buy. They'll safely dispose of it.

The hard drive is best fixed with a powerful magnet, followed by a sledgehammer.
 
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