Disposing of old computer safely?

Miró

Please can anyone advise me on what to do to my old computer before disposal?

Is it true that just deleting or formatting the hard disc drives is not enough? Can the data still be retrieved? I've heard of disc sanitizers and disc purgers...any good? Any free ones?

Any help would be appreciated.

devizes18193

what about just take the hard drive out reuse it and stick the pc on free cycle

brig001

Simply deleting isn't enough. I personally dismantle the hard disk, remove the extremely powerful magnets for the kids to play with (really) and smash the platter with a hammer. The rest can go to the tip where they have recycling facilities. You could just smash the whole hard disk up if you like. It's the only way to guarantee that no data is retrievable.

Miró

devizes18193 wrote: »

what about just take the hard drive out reuse it and stick the pc on free cycle

I wouldn't have a clue as to how to do that!!:eek:

Idiophreak

Mir! wrote: »

I wouldn't have a clue as to how to do that!!:eek:

It's very easy - someone on here will give you help if you need it.

If it's not worth holding onto the disk, I agree that physically destroying the thing is the safest way forward...although, sometimes, I think it's a little paranoid...I'm not sure how interested anyone would be in the contents of my HDD as it is, much less if they had to go to hassle to get at it...

isofa

Use DBAN to securely wipe the HD.

Voyager2002

What is so secret about your old hard disk? I mean, do you work for MI5 or something?

Personally, I would be delighted if I could find someone to read the stuff on my old hard disk. It is a PhD thesis, and after slaving for so long to write it I feel sad that no-one wants to read it.

tehone

isofa wrote: »

Use DBAN to securely wipe the HD.

Yep - this is the best method, it basically boots the computer from a CD and securely wipes all information from it - however depending on the size of the hard drive it can take a fair while (hours).

You could then install something like Ubuntu on it and give the PC away

tehone

Voyager2002 wrote: »

What is so secret about your old hard disk? I mean, do you work for MI5 or something?

Personally, I would be delighted if I could find someone to read the stuff on my old hard disk. It is a PhD thesis, and after slaving for so long to write it I feel sad that no-one wants to read it.

Maybe stuff like your email, passwords, bank details, etc.

You know that least 2 people (the markers) wil read your thesis

devizes18193

Mir! wrote: »

I wouldn't have a clue as to how to do that!!:eek:

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/upgrading/install-hard-drive.htm

http://www.!!!!!!/items/344181-how-to-remove-a-hard-drive


some thing like this .hard drives are usually silver and have a ribbon cable on one side but are compleatley internal and unlike a dvd drive you will not be able to see it from the outside of the pc

brig001

Out of interest, I bought a hard disk from ebay and found the previous owner's CV and a letter to his bank with account numbers, name, address, date of birth etc. Reading his CV, he was an IT consultant!!!

DBAN should be fine and as stated would allow the entire PC to be re-used.