old computer

SpudMurphy · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:54 am

I have an old computer that died on me and I need to dispose of it. What do I need to remove or destroy to protect myself from people accessing my details

Thanks in advance

dave.m · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:37 pm

Take the Hard drive out and about a dozen clouts with a lump hammer should do the trick.

krisdorey · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:58 pm

or drill through it (the hard drive) or if you're a bit nerdy then take it apart as the platters make great mirrors/paperweight.

joinerjohn · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 4:32 pm

Take it apart and get the rare earth magnets out of it. There are a couple of video guides on U Tube. As Kris says, the platters make nice looking paperweights

SpudMurphy · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:15 pm

would anything else be worth saving from it?

dave.m · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:33 pm

SpudMurphy wrote:

would anything else be worth saving from it?

Not really, the memory (RAM) is so cheap today and computers usually like matching pairs so don't even pull the RAM sticks out.
As it is old and has died on you, it is not worth saving anything as you don't know what it was that failed, and it would be too much trouble to try and test each individual component to see what works.

dave

MarkTravis · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:37 pm

You could save the hard drive, put it in an enclosure and use it as an external drive to maybe back-up your files to.

Probably best to wipe and reformat it first

Astra99 · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:11 pm

Dave.m must have gone to the same school as I did

with his reference to using a lump hammer to "secure" the hard drive!

xr4x4 · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:15 pm

Take the cover off and power it up.... Fascinating.

Monkeh · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:36 pm

xr4x4 wrote:

Take the cover off and power it up.... Fascinating.

A little boring without a soldering iron, an amplifier, and some small wire.

danechip · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:49 pm

Bury it in the bottom of your garden with a lolly stick cross saying "RIP"

Should anyone ever dig it up, it will be on ebay+trilenniuum edition for a lot.

Data obviously wipe as hard drives have a small hole for venting. they are not waterproof.

Best of luck buddy.

Monkeh · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:00 am

danechip wrote:

Data obviously wipe as hard drives have a small hole for venting. they are not waterproof.

And once dried out, that water will have done absolutely nothing to the drive.

danechip · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:25 am

Great... Why silica gel in the packaging?

Are all electronics constructed and connected with stainless 314 internal and external? Put it to the test fella, bury a naked drive in your garden and try a year later. You're call.

Monkeh · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:46 am

danechip wrote:

Great... Why silica gel in the packaging?

To prevent condensation from pooling inside?

Quote:

Are all electronics constructed and connected with stainless 314 internal and external? Put it to the test fella, bury a naked drive in your garden and try a year later. You're call.

There's not a lot of steel in an HDD. Aluminium, magnesium, copper.. Steel, not so much. And I'd be worried about someone seeing it and digging it up after a few days, not a few years.

danechip · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:55 am

Then leave out the RIP stick. If we have these issues of dead gaming machines with rings of death, do you not think oxidization is an issue along with thermal issues. Would electronics not take a bigger knock outdoors?

If you have the solution, i'll paypal you right now...