Quote:
Originally Posted by C. C. Rider
I suggest that before getting rid of any computer, you remove the hard drive and either keep it in a safe place or destroy it. I don't see much need of keeping it.
You don't have to be a computer whiz to do this. Just open up the case and remove the metal case that's about the size and shape of an old 8-track tape. Here's what a new one looks like.
Lenovo 1TB 7200 rpm Serial ATA Hard Drive | Lenovo US
If you've used your computer to file your taxes, do banking business, or credit card transactions, then you should destroy the hard drive of old computers. Otherwise, someone could remove it and gain access to your data.
After removing them, I usually drive a screwdriver through them in a couple of places using a hammer with the drive laid on a brick or solid board. Then, smash the heck out of them with a big hammer. You could also stick a strong magnet against them, set them on fire, and/or drown them.
The last hard drive I destroyed a few years ago, I set the computer (minus the hard drive) out front for the trash man to pick up. Before the trash man even got there, someone came along and picked up the computer and took it. I suppose they were disappointed when they opened the computer and the hard drive was missing.  |
Good advice. It is pretty hard to sterilize a hard drive so that the info. on it is completely non-recoverable. Though I doubt that there are people out there employing state-of-the-art technology to recover data from old, discarded HDs.
Another thing to consider: an old hard drive is a great place to store data. My two previous computers yielded up two HDs when I junked them; one 1 TB, the other 2 TB. A $39.00 hard-drive dock turned them into ideal data, picture and movie-storage units.