How to dispute of a laptop that won't start.

[Hollyberry]

I've got 2 old laptops that I want to get rid of.
Older one (Dell) started up and I've deleted everything and emptied the recycle bin.
If I reset it to factory settings is it safe then to take to the tip and put in recycling bin?

Second laptop ( Toshiba) won't start up on mains power. How do I get rid of personal data inside it ? Cannot remember what's on it at all, hadn't been used for at least 6 years.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[icantremember]

Remove the hard disks and destroy by fire.

 

[100brian]

I've got 2 old laptops that I want to get rid of.
Older one (Dell) started up and I've deleted everything and emptied the recycle bin.
If I reset it to factory settings is it safe then to take to the tip and put in recycling bin?

Second laptop ( Toshiba) won't start up on mains power. How do I get rid of personal data inside it ? Cannot remember what's on it at all, hadn't been used for at least 6 years.

Thanks for any advice.

Just take the hard drives out.

 

[DJA]

Hi

Have you thought of taking the hardrives out , fitting them in a carrier and trying to useg them as spare Hardrives.

Doug

 

[Hollyberry]

Thanks , everyone. Will now try to find a hard drive.
Do you think it's safest to smash that up ( not sure it's safe to burn in my log burner?) and then smash up the laptop as well ?
They're so old don't think they're any use to anyone but don't want any data stolen. I only use an iPad now so don't have any use for any parts of the PCs.

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[pappajohn]

Even after deleting the hard drive any data is still recoverable if you know how anh have the equipment.
Physical destruction is the only safe way.
I found a 2lb builders hammer after breaking the screen off saves taking them apart.

 

[Hollyberry]

Thanks. I've got the hard drive out so reckon I'll smash that up ( I have a good selection of hammers!) then I'll smash up the rest of it and dispose of it in different bins.

Can the first one just be disposed of as I've removed everything or is it safer to destroy that too ?

 

[100brian]

You will still be able to use the hard drives

Thanks. I've got the hard drive out so reckon I'll smash that up ( I have a good selection of hammers!) then I'll smash up the rest of it and dispose of it in different bins.

Can the first one just be disposed of as I've removed everything or is it safer to destroy that too ?

take the hard drives out of both.
No need to smash them you can use them to store music or movies on them.

 

[Rusty Pumper]

I got a hammer to an old hard drive and bashed it to bits. Quite therapeutic really.

 

[Chris]

Some of my browsing history needs to be permanently deleted

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[Duck Truck]

Some of my browsing history needs to be permanently deleted

Yes we thought so too when we hacked your drive
Did you truly spend that much time on THOSE SITES

 

[Duck Truck]

Put the drive in a carrier bag before hammering to bits
saves picking up pieces

 

[klaatu]

You might be surprised by how much data can be recovered from a hard drive which has been smashed to pieces with a hammer, given the right equipment and sufficient motivation. And a significant amount of data was recovered from a hard drive which fell to earth from space shuttle Columbia.

I’m not seriously suggesting that this is something most of us need to worry about

 

[Silver-Fox]

Remove the hard disks and destroy by fire.

Thats what I do.
Ive been told its surprising what you can dig out of the drive if you know what you are doing

 

[Chris]

You might be surprised by how much data can be recovered from a hard drive which has been smashed to pieces with a hammer, given the right equipment and sufficient motivation. And a significant amount of data was recovered from a hard drive which fell to earth from space shuttle Columbia.

I’m not seriously suggesting that this is something most of us need to worry about

That’s it.

I am going to strap my iPad to a nuclear missile aimed at Putin’s head

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[Duck Truck]

Can the first one just be disposed of as I've removed everything or is it safer to destroy that too ?

smash smash smash

 

[Silver-Fox]

Some of my browsing history needs to be permanently deleted

Ive heard that

 

[Duck Truck]

I am going to strap my iPad to a nuclear missile aimed at Putin’s head

Can you do TRUMP as well please

 

[Just smiffy]

That’s it.

I am going to strap my iPad to a nuclear missile aimed at Putin’s head

Don’t bother Chris, your info is already out there in the clouds and there not worried about you.....


Or should we..

 

[Larby]

I paid £20 for Chris's hard drive at one of the rallies.
There were some right scary things on there, drinking competitions, videos of Welsh Rugby matches,
images of quaint French villages, how to make effective voodoo dolls, but oddly no porn !

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[hilldweller]

Can the first one just be disposed of as I've removed everything or is it safer to destroy that too ?

If you can, open up one of the drives, they are a thing of beauty inside.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

You don’t need to smash anything except the hard drive. No data anywhere else

 

[Chris]

I paid £20 for Chris's hard drive at one of the rallies.
There were some right scary things on there, drinking competitions, videos of Welsh Rugby matches,
images of quaint French villages, how to make effective voodoo dolls, but oddly no porn !

That’s strange.

You must have hacked my wife’s account.

 

[pappajohn]

And a significant amount of data was recovered from a hard drive which fell to earth from space shuttle Columbia.

Talk about 'burning' a disc.

 

[pandas]

As already said smash just the hard drive with a hammer - yes inside a bag and wear glasses/goggles. I wouldn't burn any of it some parts are very toxic.

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[Buster30]

I usually drill through the discs a few times

 

[Chris]

I paid £20 for Chris's hard drive at one of the rallies.
There were some right scary things on there, drinking competitions, videos of Welsh Rugby matches,
images of quaint French villages, how to make effective voodoo dolls, but oddly no porn !

It was the no porn bit I was troubled by.

I don’t recognise that hard drive.

 

[Just smiffy]

I paid £20 for Chris's hard drive at one of the rallies.
There were some right scary things on there, drinking competitions, videos of Welsh Rugby matches,
images of quaint French villages, how to make effective voodoo dolls, but oddly no porn !

It was the no porn bit I was troubled by.

I don’t recognise that hard drive.

It’s the quaint French villages...that’s the porn....

 

[Reallyretired]

I usually just drill a few holes through them. Some data can even be recovered from completely mangled disks but it would have to be a matter of national security for anyone to bother.