Getting rid of an old computer?

TheDoolallyDilly

We have an old PC - quite big and old fashioned, but still working (uses Windows 98) that I want to get rid of.

I know I need to take the hard drive out and destroy it (it used to be use for banking and all sorts, so I need to make sure anything private has completely gone!).

And then do I have to just take it to the tip? Or is there any charity or anything who would want it? It's just cluttering up DS2s wardrobe at the moment

BB1984

Freecycle?

Browntoa

you can safely erase the hard disk with this

http://www.dban.org/about

guide on how to use it here

http://www.dyers.org/blog/archives/2008/09/24/how-to-erase-your-hard-drive-like-a-secret-agent/

TheDoolallyDilly

Thank you. I'm not a 'member' of Freecycle, and this is about the only thing I can ever envisage having to get rid of (most stuff goes to charity, including furniture items, if family don't want it) - would it be worth my while 'joining' (if that's what you have to do, I don't know much about Freecycle!

Browntoa - thanks for that, I'll have a look.

Browntoa

if you want it in a "working"condition then install Ubuntu afterwards

http://www.ubuntu.com/

desktop version should just install and boot

Desktop CD

The desktop CD allows you to try Ubuntu without changing your computer at all, and at your option to install it permanently later. This type of CD is what most people will want to use. You will need at least 384MB of RAM to install from this CD.
There are two images available, each for a different type of computer:
PC (Intel x86) desktop CD For almost all PCs. This includes most machines with Intel/AMD/etc type processors and almost all computers that run Microsoft Windows, as well as newer Apple Macintosh systems based on Intel processors. Choose this if you are at all unsure.

Penelope_Penguin

TheDoolallyDilly wrote: »

And then do I have to just take it to the tip?

WEEE regulations no longer allow you to do this When I was in a similar situation last year, I had many people reqesting the computer tower I offered on Freecycle. I gave it to someone who had a functioning hard drive, and a teenage son to install it into the tower

If no-one wants it, you may find that your recycling centre has facilities to recycle electrical equipment.

As this isn't really Old Style, I'll move it to the Green and Ethical Board.

TheDoolallyDilly

Thanks Penelope Penguin - I think I was inspired by the decluttering thread - that's why I posted in here !!

Our tip has separate sections for electrical goods, garden waste, wood etc etc so I would be able to take it there.

oystercatcher

I'm sure there would be some computer geeks out there who would be glad to dismantle an old computer and use the parts.
My husband and sons are forever rebuilding their computers with different and better parts that I don't understand at all. I know there's all sorts of bits you can use two of or replace broken ones with. I'm sure freecycle or an ad in the local paper would find it a happy owner.

Oystercatcher

DCFC79

Or have a look in your yellow pages for it recycling or computer recycling

greenbee

Consumer WEEE is all disposed of via Civic Amenity Sites (aka 'the tip'), funded by producer compliance schemes. If you check your local authority website, they should have information on where you can take electronic & electrical equipment for disposal.

dban is a good option for destroying data on the hard drive - our security guys use it once they've done the forensic investigation, although it then goes on for treatment with blancco, but they're happy with this for when it is in transit, just in case. If you're really worried, a hammer works wonders... once it is in more than one bit (particularly if you take the bits to different sites for disposal) it's not really going to be worth the effort for anyone to try to read the data!