Old Computer Laptop Disposal ?

bigdog · 05-03-2021, 03:45 PM

I've been cleaning out my office, and I have 3 old computer laptop I need disposal ? Any thoughts from Forum on where I can dispose of these ?

I cannot 'wipe' these PC's clean first of data, as the passwords to access these PC'S are long gone....

Thanks for your feedback !

BroadHopper · 05-03-2021, 04:26 PM

You can use the restore disk to wipe the disks clean.

The Eagle Scouts in Nashua 'clean' old computers and if it can be or is Windows 10, they will redistribute to nonprofits, students, etc.

If they have the old OS, you can upgrade them to Windows 10 and wipe all data at the same time. Instructions are online.

If computers cannot be upgraded, I believe one of the civic clubs take them apart and make new upgraded computers eligible for the upgrade. I can't remember which one.

I've been restoring old computers and give them to charity for years.

XCR-700 · 05-03-2021, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdog

I've been cleaning out my office, and I have 3 old computer laptop I need disposal ? Any thoughts from Forum on where I can dispose of these ?

I cannot 'wipe' these PC's clean first of data, as the passwords to access these PC'S are long gone....

Thanks for your feedback !

Its called eBay, or possibly Facebook Marketplace. It seems there is a buyer for everything, and strangely good stuff seems to sell slower than something you were to throw out. Go figure,,,

Some days I can believe the old IT junk (and other stuff) I see for sale AND IT SELLS.

Well thats what I see.

Good luck.

Winilyme · 05-03-2021, 05:06 PM

I'd probably take out the hard drive, smash it to bits, and then dispose of the laptop at at 'local electronic disposal day' that they have fairly frequently - at least where I live here in CT. I have this lack of trust thing going on insofar as relying on software to wipe my drive clean.

WinnisquamZ · 05-03-2021, 06:26 PM

Interesting topic. I must have 6-8 laptops in my attic due to my fear of someone stealing personal information

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FlyingScot · 05-03-2021, 06:26 PM

I like BroadHopper's response. Failing that--smash the disk drive, and take everything else to Best Buy for free disposal anytime

MotorHead · 05-03-2021, 07:39 PM

Everything can be recovered, even if you reformat the hard drive or even use wipe disk. Putting couple of nails thru the hard drive or smashing the hard drive is the best suggestion.

thinkxingu · 05-03-2021, 07:51 PM

1:10
https://youtu.be/1Jkgy964tmU

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codeman671 · 05-03-2021, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Everything can be recovered, even if you reformat the hard drive or even use wipe disk. Putting couple of nails thru the hard drive or smashing the hard drive is the best suggestion.

I am in the ITAD and data destruction industry.

It takes some pretty sophisticated equipment to recover data from a hard drive when wiped with a decent software. I do have one of those machines, but you’ll would have to piece any fragments of data found like a puzzle to possibly get anything of use. These are typically used to pull files off a failed drive, not one that has been erased.

A 7 pass erasure meets DOD standards, with no physical destruction.

I have a hard drive shredder, degausser and numerous test and erasure racks here at work and can make anything unrecoverable if anyone is that concerned with the contents of their drive.

WinnisquamZ · 05-03-2021, 08:02 PM

After all this discussion a simple solution would be to drop them in the deep part

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trfour · 05-03-2021, 11:57 PM

DO NOT CONTAMINATE Lake Winnipesaukee! And, what about the poor fish and divers?

SAB1 · 05-04-2021, 04:48 AM

Couple 3 inch magnums out of your 12 gauge should do the trick .....

TiltonBB · 05-04-2021, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Everything can be recovered, even if you reformat the hard drive or even use wipe disk. Putting couple of nails thru the hard drive or smashing the hard drive is the best suggestion.

According to the FBI everything cannot be recovered if you use Bleach Bit. They said they tried and despite their BEST efforts they couldn't get it done.

You see, I heard about this woman......................

WinnisquamZ · 05-04-2021, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trfour

DO NOT CONTAMINATE Lake Winnipesaukee! And, what about the poor fish and divers?

Fish can’t read binary, no risk.

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LIforrelaxin · 05-04-2021, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

Fish can’t read binary, no risk.

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Now I don't care who you are, that is funny, right there.....

As many others have suggested in this thread, take the hard drive out, give the remaining puts to an electronic recycling group.... I go to a place here in Ma. that charges me by the point, when I decide I have enough to warrant the trip...

As for the hard drives, I smash, them, sometimes my son wipes them and then re-uses them.... sometimes they site in a box to rediscovered some time later.....

As codeman states some has to be willing to invest time and money to steal information off of an old hard drive......especially once it has been wiped clean...

bigdog · 05-04-2021, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAB1

Couple 3 inch magnums out of your 12 gauge should do the trick .....

I like SAB1 option best, and you can have fun at the same time..... Brings a smile to my face !

Then bring what's left to Best Buy, of course there my not be a lot to bring !

TheProfessor · 05-04-2021, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

After all this discussion a simple solution would be to drop them in the deep part

Oh, the memories.
As a child we used to swim out to the deeper part of lake and view the old washing machines and old oven stoves. On a clear calm day.

Was exciting to view what our parents and neighbors had disposed of in previous generations.

Times have changed though. Not sure but that the fish may reactivate this old laptop. But if there are any adult pictures left on laptop - the fish will find them.

BroadHopper · 05-04-2021, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

Oh, the memories.
As a child we used to swim out to the deeper part of lake and view the old washing machines and old oven stoves. On a clear calm day.

Was exciting to view what our parents and neighbors had disposed of in previous generations.

Times have changed though. Not sure but that the fish may reactivate this old laptop. But if there are any adult pictures left on laptop - the fish will find them.

Parents and neighbors use to fill old refrigerators with rocks and use them for mooring! And they are not far from shore!

Pricestavern · 05-04-2021, 10:47 AM

You need to destroy the disk drive (assuming you have a disk drive). Shooting them can be fun. However, if you are in an area where you cannot discharge a firearm, an easy way is to drill a few holes in them with a 1/8 - 1/4" drill bit rendering them incapable of spinning and therefore being read.

05-03-2021, 03:45 PM	#1
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,448 Thanks: 342 Thanked 119 Times in 96 Posts	Old Computer Laptop Disposal ? I've been cleaning out my office, and I have 3 old computer laptop I need disposal ? Any thoughts from Forum on where I can dispose of these ? I cannot 'wipe' these PC's clean first of data, as the passwords to access these PC'S are long gone.... Thanks for your feedback !

05-03-2021, 04:26 PM	#2
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,577 Thanks: 3,220 Thanked 1,103 Times in 794 Posts	Wiping clean old computers You can use the restore disk to wipe the disks clean. The Eagle Scouts in Nashua 'clean' old computers and if it can be or is Windows 10, they will redistribute to nonprofits, students, etc. If they have the old OS, you can upgrade them to Windows 10 and wipe all data at the same time. Instructions are online. If computers cannot be upgraded, I believe one of the civic clubs take them apart and make new upgraded computers eligible for the upgrade. I can't remember which one. I've been restoring old computers and give them to charity for years. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

05-03-2021, 11:57 PM	#11
trfour Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Lakes, Central NH. and Dallas/Fort Worth TX. Posts: 3,694 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 3,069 Thanked 472 Times in 236 Posts	Sorry winn8sqwamZ DO NOT CONTAMINATE Lake Winnipesaukee! And, what about the poor fish and divers? __________________ *trfour* Always Remember, The Best Safety Device In The Boat, or on a PWC Snowmobile etc., Is YOU! Safe sledding tips and much more; http://www.snowmobile.org/snowmobiling-safety.html

05-04-2021, 10:47 AM	#19
Pricestavern Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Valencia, Spain (formerly Rattlesnake Isle) Posts: 389 Thanks: 135 Thanked 142 Times in 82 Posts	Kill It You need to destroy the disk drive (assuming you have a disk drive). Shooting them can be fun. However, if you are in an area where you cannot discharge a firearm, an easy way is to drill a few holes in them with a 1/8 - 1/4" drill bit rendering them incapable of spinning and therefore being read.

05-03-2021, 05:06 PM	#4
Winilyme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ice in = CT / Ice out = Winnipesaukee Posts: 492 Thanks: 134 Thanked 294 Times in 158 Posts	I'd probably take out the hard drive, smash it to bits, and then dispose of the laptop at at 'local electronic disposal day' that they have fairly frequently - at least where I live here in CT. I have this lack of trust thing going on insofar as relying on software to wipe my drive clean.

05-03-2021, 06:26 PM	#5
WinnisquamZ Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 2,062 Thanks: 210 Thanked 663 Times in 438 Posts	Interesting topic. I must have 6-8 laptops in my attic due to my fear of someone stealing personal information Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

05-03-2021, 06:26 PM	#6
FlyingScot Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Tuftonboro and Sudbury, MA Posts: 2,390 Thanks: 1,289 Thanked 1,020 Times in 630 Posts	I like BroadHopper's response. Failing that--smash the disk drive, and take everything else to Best Buy for free disposal anytime

05-03-2021, 07:39 PM	#7
MotorHead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 281 Thanks: 53 Thanked 85 Times in 64 Posts	Everything can be recovered, even if you reformat the hard drive or even use wipe disk. Putting couple of nails thru the hard drive or smashing the hard drive is the best suggestion.

05-03-2021, 07:51 PM	#8
thinkxingu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 6,268 Thanks: 1,173 Thanked 2,072 Times in 1,286 Posts	1:10 https://youtu.be/1Jkgy964tmU Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to codeman671 For This Useful Post:
MotorHead (05-03-2021), rander7823 (05-04-2021), VitaBene (05-04-2021)

05-03-2021, 08:02 PM	#10
WinnisquamZ Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 2,062 Thanks: 210 Thanked 663 Times in 438 Posts	After all this discussion a simple solution would be to drop them in the deep part Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

05-04-2021, 04:48 AM	#12
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,230 Thanks: 190 Thanked 320 Times in 235 Posts	Couple 3 inch magnums out of your 12 gauge should do the trick .....

The Following User Says Thank You to Pricestavern For This Useful Post:
bigdog (05-04-2021)