DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Computer disposal?

Not a question of actually how to trash or recycle it but what parts of the computer do I need to make sure are unusable? My pc recently died and I cant even turn it on to wipe it clean. I have taken it apart and just want to make sure when i get rid of the parts that I didnt leave anything accesible to have my identity stolen or cc info stolen or whatever. Is it just the hard drive that I need to make sure is destroyed? Or are there other parts within the computer that contain sensitive material?

I'll be interested to hear the responses, as I have one sitting here........waiting to be junked out as well.

You only need to destroy the hard drive if you don't want to save the information on it.

You should be able to interface the existing HD onto a new system to retrieve anything that you want off of it. If there is nothing that you want on the old hard drive, take a drill and drill a hole through it.

How would I go about interfacing to a new system? I have everything for the most part backed up to an external so I am not too worried about it but if it is a simple process I wouldn't mind double checking?

I don't understand all of that either. I just take a hammer and smash all the parts about 50 times, then throw it out in the trash over about 3-4 weeks, keeping various pasts in thirds.


I figure if it's not all in the same spot, it's going to be hard to put together,

Call the city, see if they have any kind of drop-off recyling program.

Outside of that, you can call the manufacturer and they may take it back if you ship it to them. Otherwise, I know some office product retailers (Staples, Office Depot, etc) that may take it off your hands for a small fee.

As far as the hard drive goes. Try to wipe it out, then beat it up and submerge it in water before tossing it. If someone can still rip your info off of it, then they're probably smart enough to get your stuff 50 other ways.

Your hard drive will look something like that! Take a big screwdriver and drive it threw there or just smash up all the pins on the plug end. You can also hit it with a strong magnet for extra protection. The common thug will not bother and unless you got big brother after you, you should be okay.

Nothing besides the hard drive contains personal information.

There's a good chance that hard drive is still good. Take that out and put it in your next computer or put it in another enclosure. The memory might still be good as well. If it's compatible with what you're upgrading to, there ya go, you have more ram!

Dang, posted this in the other computer thread first. I'll repost here.

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Good video on the subject.



A lot of his vids are really cool. If you're bored, look through his channel. Nice stuff.

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Some places now you have to recycle used PC's (Id still pull the HD and smash it). Here if we get caught throwing away ANY electronics we can be fined.

I do similar to OldColdDawg.


If I don't intend to, or already have, gotten the info off the drive, then I open it up, remove the disc plates, scratch them with a screw driver, hit them with a good magnet if I have one, and bend them in my vice before I throw them in the trash.

If I was that worried about it, this is how i'd go about disposing it. Or just go Office Space on it and beat it with a bat. haha

When I worked for a shop, the local technical school used to pick up all our broken stuff once a month. I believe the owner took a tax write-off.

Another tech I know bagged up random crap and sold it on E-bay for $5 a pop.

The hard drive is the only thing on the PC with data on it. You can format it, get a free program to do a VERY secure wipe, use a strong magnet or drill holes. Easy to hook it up to another PC, also as mentioned it probably still works and might make a useful extra storage.

If the PC is completely dead, very high odds it is just the power supply, that's about a $40 part. There are cheaper ones but don't waste your time.

An older person, or somebody with kids could probably still get use out of it. Consider donating it to a church or school, take a deduction.

If the box has a windows code number on it, that might have some value.

Thanks for the input everyone, the computer wont boot to allow me to get wipe the hard drive amd i have been in the market for a new computer for a few years now anyway. I have all the data backed up to an external so I am just going to make sure the hard drive is unusable and recycle the rest.

Take the hard drive out and tie a 100 foot fuse to it. Then hang it over a pool of sharks. Light the fuse then walk out of the room. Did it work? Or did it escape? I always simply assume that it worked.