Where to get rid of old computer

24

Comments

  • decbel
    decbel Posts: 2,804 Forumite
    edited 16 September 2017 at 9:21PM
    Spares or repair on ebay.

    But watch the postage.

    Personally I always remove the hard drive And that would have to be in the description.

    Easy job and I'm fortunate that the tip (recycling centre) is only 2 miles away.
  • zagubov
    zagubov Posts: 17,885 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    If it's an easy-to-use one like a mac I'd give it to a relative who hasn't one. (after wiping off all personal data and warning them not to reply to foreign "finance ministers" or whatever). Load a browser with favourites including this website and any others like it.

    Being connected's not just a great boon nowadays, it's getting towards becoming a necessity.
    There is no honour to be had in not knowing a thing that can be known - Danny Baker
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    edited 18 September 2017 at 12:01PM
    They lied. a single wipe with all zeros is all that is needed to make the recovery of data both cost and time prohibitive,so much so it will never happen. Someone may find a new technique of course. But I doubt it. And with SSD, recovery after wiping is even harder.
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,279 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Carrot007 wrote: »
    They lied. a single wipe with all zeros is all that is needed to make the recovery of data both cost and time prohibitive,so much so it will never happen. Someone may find a new technique of course. But I doubt it. And with SSD, recovery after wiping is even harder.

    He couldn't put that though. It would have ruined his advertising spam for he company
  • Markyboyuk
    Markyboyuk Posts: 5 Forumite
    I know the software the company I used it cost about 3k to purchase as I did ask the question. Not sure you can complete a complete and sufficient clean yourself. Anyway I had mine shredded as I did not want anyone to access the hard drive cleaned or not. Due to my job I am quite sensitive about ID Theft and Data protection possibly more than you average person. I would recommend shredding a drive always.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,175 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    Freecycle it, always folk out there who like to tinker on with old machines will take it.

    Also don't believe all the hype about destroying the hard drive into 1000s of pieces either. A complex overwrite of 35 passes will do it. Heck even write over the drive again to doubly make sure if it makes you feel better.
  • zaax
    zaax Posts: 1,910 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Frozen_up_north wrote: »
    r if you are paranoid cut it up with a "gas axe".

    Even cut into pieces data can be retreaved. The only way it to melt it.
    Do you want your money back, and a bit more, search for 'money claim online' - They don't like it up 'em Captain Mainwaring
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,175 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    zaax wrote: »
    Even cut into pieces data can be retreaved. The only way it to melt it.

    But all your datas will float to the top if you melt it. :rotfl:
  • Markyboyuk
    Markyboyuk Posts: 5 Forumite
    The only free cycling you should be doing is down a hill on your bike on the way to a registered destruction plant. Don't just give it away to some joe blogs who could extract your personal details. In the first 6 months of 2017 there were 89,000 cases of identity theft recorded. Could be you if you freecycle. Its on the rise. :eek:
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,175 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    I bought a second hand hard drive from CeX just before Christmas, ran Recuva, and within minutes I had restored all the data from the drive. Luckily it was just someone's music collection and no sensitive personal info or documents.

    If you really must sell on or give away a hard drive, make sure you properly format it with DBAN or similar. The quick format option in Windows will simply not do.
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