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Thread: Disposing of old PCs

  1. #1
    Hardcore Til I Die htid's Avatar
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    Disposing of old PCs

    How do you go about getting rid of an old computer?

    It's just my old case with the PSU, cpu, heatsink, ram, and a few pci cards in, no hard drives. I just don't have room to store it after coming home from uni so I need to get rid of it - the parts aren't worth anything so I'm just looking to get rid of it but I assume you can't just put it out for the binmen or even take it to the tip, so what do you do?

    Actually, I also have 2 hard drives I may get rid of. What's the best way to remove the data totally without buying a program that does it (since I have no money right now).

    Hope it's ok to put this in GD, didn't know about the first part but I guess the 2nd part really belongs somewhere else, altho no point creating 2 seperate threads. So thanks for any help,

    Cheers!

  2. #2
    Don't feed the trolls... tiggerai's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    Donate it to one of these places who recycles them for Africa etc?

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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    Quote Originally Posted by htid View Post

    Actually, I also have 2 hard drives I may get rid of. What's the best way to remove the data totally without buying a program that does it (since I have no money right now)
    Hammer and a screw driver always works for me, either unscrew it or bash the screw driver through the platters.
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  4. #4
    Hardcore Til I Die htid's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    Hmmm, the mobo is knackered - would they want it without one? Just the case, cpu (although the heatsink is broken), ram, psu and the pci cards?

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    Don't feed the trolls... tiggerai's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    Quote Originally Posted by htid View Post
    Hmmm, the mobo is knackered - would they want it without one? Just the case, cpu (although the heatsink is broken), ram, psu and the pci cards?
    I believe so, I think they take bits from everywhere to build working pcs.

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    Fried Chip Extremist alsenior's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    you can use dban on the disk to erase the data. http://dban.sourceforge.net/
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  7. #7
    Mind that bus, what bus? Splat!
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    You can take old PCs to the tip, it's not an issue unless you're disposing of large numbers ( they may think you're running a business - in which case you should be paying to get it removed ).

    Though you may as well donate it if they'll take it. Most PCs that go to a tip end up being re-used/donated one way or the other anyway though.

  8. #8
    The King of Vague Steve B's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    if you boil a kettle and pour boiling water onto the naked platters, that usually destroys them quite nicely. Make sure you get good coverage and feel free to experiment with tea and various soups etc to find the most effective substance.

  9. #9
    Flak Monkey! Dorza's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    For HDDs that i no longer want, I open them up, and pin the buggers to the wall with the other collection of decrepit pc parts that I have. The uninteresting stuff I take to the tip and leave it in the special place for computers and other electrical goods.

  10. #10
    Hardcore Til I Die htid's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    Actually turns out a metal mallet and a bolster chisel do wonders for turning platters into tiny crystals. Don't think anybody is getting any information from that thing. May have taken more time than the boiling water but it was certainly more fun

  11. #11
    lazy student nvening's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    hammers = fun
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

  12. #12
    Senior Member Stringent's Avatar
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    You could try this

    http://www.killdisk.com/

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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    I gave my HDD to my dog (accidentally) and that was a pretty thorough job. No information is coming out of that unless it's dog DNA.

    (Thanks Evilmunky)
    Eagles may soar, but weasels never get sucked into jet intakes.

  14. #14
    Guy
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    Re: Disposing of old PCs

    ive got rid of a few hard drives over the years, and beating it senseless with a hammer + chissel is extraordinarly fun, but does leave quite alot of mess! I tried erasing/wipping drives in the past, but still felt uneasy about wether they were truely wiped or not, so usually suffered the same hammer treatment!

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