Scrap value in old computers?

Neil_Jones

GDB2222 said:

Are any of the HDDs SCSI?

Very doubtful I would have thought, as SCSI was far more expensive, but had a better data throughput (in theory) and thus  was more likely found in servers.

RomfordNavy

GDB2222 said:

Are any of the HDDs SCSI?

Probably not SCSI but some are Fibre Channel drives.

poppellerant

I don't suppose you have any 8086/8088 machines, or something with ISA slots up? I'd consider a working system that would allow me to try and access some of my MFM/RLL hard drives which I already have the controller cards for.

forgotmyname

After a whole system or will a mainboard do?   I may have something but I have been throwing a lot of motherboards away.

Possibly still have an early Pentium system board with ISA and PCI slots.  P100 to P166 era. Pre USB I think.

poppellerant

forgotmyname said:

After a whole system or will a mainboard do?   I may have something but I have been throwing a lot of motherboards away.

Possibly still have an early Pentium system board with ISA and PCI slots.  P100 to P166 era. Pre USB I think.

To be honest, the earlier the system, the better.  If you could sort out a graphic card and maybe a IDE controller card, that would be amazing.  Then I'd just need to fish out a keyboard, plug in my LS-120 floppy to get any files I find - if any.

forgotmyname

Also had a twin CPU board when Intel used riser cards, celeron 600's I think?  Had all sorts of odd computers given to me
over the years. Tape storage which went in the bin, turns out they are worth money now.. oops.

I have thrown a fair few away. I will have a look over the coming week or two

RomfordNavy

poppellerant said:

I don't suppose you have any 8086/8088 machines, or something with ISA slots up? I'd consider a working system that would allow me to try and access some of my MFM/RLL hard drives which I already have the controller cards for.

Don't think so but will check.  The 386 & 486 were given away a while back.

Roz81

Is there a way of wiping an old laptop of all personal data before disposing it?

I have a couple of old laptops that have stopped working, can't even fire them up.

But feel reluctant to dispose of them incase they contain sensitive info.

flaneurs_lobster

Roz81 said:

Is there a way of wiping an old laptop of all personal data before disposing it?

I have a couple of old laptops that have stopped working, can't even fire them up.

But feel reluctant to dispose of them incase they contain sensitive info.

Open them up and take the hard drives out.

Hide in sock draw / smash with hammer / drill holes through / nuke 'em from space, as your level of comfort dictates.

GDB2222

flaneurs_lobster said:

Roz81 said:

Is there a way of wiping an old laptop of all personal data before disposing it?

I have a couple of old laptops that have stopped working, can't even fire them up.

But feel reluctant to dispose of them incase they contain sensitive info.

Open them up and take the hard drives out.

Hide in sock draw / smash with hammer / drill holes through / nuke 'em from space, as your level of comfort dictates.

Or wait a month until nuclear war breaks out?