[SIRE1]

Regarding wiping info off hard drive, I have a question. I've seen information about changing a laptop with Windows into a Chrome Book by loading the Google OS. The directions indicate a warning that all of the data and operating system will be deleted when the Google OS is installed.

Do you think doing that would make your previous files unrecoverable???? I was thinking of doing that to my old desktop system.

[JoelJohnson]

Originally Posted by TomSwango

I tinker and would love them. Feel free to drop them off at my house in Lynn Haven

Becareful of what you wish for, you could end up with a lot of trash.

Since you "tinker", I have a HP Elitebok laptop. I was playing around with it and "disabled" the UEFI. Now I can't get to the BIOS to "fix" it. Any ideas? Email me at [email protected], thanks. BTW, I tinker too. I changed a lot of computers to use Linux.

[mraines]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

Trying to clean house.... We have about 10 old laptops and phones, and some other electronic stuff that is useless to us.

Where can we bring them to recycle/destroy etc. Ideas please. TIA

Best Buy

[TomSwango]

Originally Posted by JoelJohnson

Becareful of what you wish for, you could end up with a lot of trash.

Since you "tinker", I have a HP Elitebok laptop. I was playing around with it and "disabled" the UEFI. Now I can't get to the BIOS to "fix" it. Any ideas? Email me at [email protected], thanks. BTW, I tinker too. I changed a lot of computers to use Linux.

I would start with downloading "Ventoy" to a thumb drive and using that to boot your computer. You can then try different repair utilities to identify the problem and decide what to do next. Best wishes, Tom

[Tvflguy]

OP here. Well the deed is done. Decided to 'take out' our old phones and laptops. pics below.

Felt good to hammer them to death and unuseable. Damaged from and back. Some of the batts fell out of the Samsung phones. Decades of use, and upgrades.

Now we both have iphone 12s. And Chromebooks used with large ext monitors and keyboards.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

TVGuy - smashing the screen won't remove your personal data from the hard drive. Anyone with the interest, motivation, and technical skills, can easily take your credit card numbers and login data and passwords from any device you put them on, even with a broken screen.

You need to open the OTHER side of those devices. Under the keyboard of the laptops, is where the hard drives are located. Open THAT up, and then smash THAT with the hammer. Always remove the battery first, because batteries can explode. Smashing it with a hammer isn't really enough though. You literally need to drown it. In water. With detergent and vinegar (never bleach or ammonia or baking soda). Or you can get a saw and saw through it, but that's way too much work. Seriously, just drown the suckers in a plastic sweater-box for a half hour or longer. The box doesn't have to be full, just enough liquid to get the entire keyboard-half of the laptop (and tablet and cell phones) fully immersed. Maybe - two inches total of liquid.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

Op here. I have 4 OLD laptops and 6 OLD phones. I may just take a hammer to them and destroy.....

LOL, why when you have some options like taking them to Best Buy and some of the other options people suggested. Why post when you had your mind made up in the first place, IMO.

[JoelJohnson]

Originally Posted by TomSwango

I would start with downloading "Ventoy" to a thumb drive and using that to boot your computer. You can then try different repair utilities to identify the problem and decide what to do next. Best wishes, Tom

Thanks, the problem is I can't get into the BIOS to tell it load from a USB

[BlueStarAirlines]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

OP here. Well the deed is done. Decided to 'take out' our old phones and laptops. pics below.

Felt good to hammer them to death and unuseable. Damaged from and back. Some of the batts fell out of the Samsung phones. Decades of use, and upgrades.

Now we both have iphone 12s. And Chromebooks used with large ext monitors and keyboards.

I can get data off of every one of them. You did nothing to protect your information.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by BlueStarAirlines

I can get data off of every one of them. You did nothing to protect your information.

Yep, but I bet they had fun! Now what are they going to do with the devices?

[Tvflguy]

Originally Posted by BlueStarAirlines

I can get data off of every one of them. You did nothing to protect your information.

OP here. Well to alleviate concerns of the naysayers here. After busting up all the cases very well on each item, I soaked them all in vinegar, detergent and water as suggested fo 30+ hours. Then pitch them all in the trash. If anyone desires to get them from the dump (or incinerator) and try to gain entry for data - go to it. I'm good.

If crooks want to get personal information - that's a chore. They would simply try to hack it online....

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

OP here. Well to alleviate concerns of the naysayers here. After busting up all the cases very well on each item, I soaked them all in vinegar, detergent and water as suggested fo 30+ hours. Then pitch them all in the trash. If anyone desires to get them from the dump (or incinerator) and try to gain entry for data - go to it. I'm good.

If crooks want to get personal information - that's a chore. They would simply try to hack it online....

Heh 30+ hours was not needed - it was 30 MINUTES or more, just to make sure it was saturated. Good job at destroying them. OTOH - there are trace bits of platinum, silver, palladium, and gold in those things, in addition to uranium. That's one of the reasons they get recycled instead of thrown in the trash.

You destroy the hard drives just to protect you from data theft. You recycle the devices themselves because (technically) they're considered hazwaste (uranium) and contain precious metals, and aren't supposed to be thrown in the trash.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Heh 30+ hours was not needed - it was 30 MINUTES or more, just to make sure it was saturated. Good job at destroying them. OTOH - there are trace bits of platinum, silver, palladium, and gold in those things, in addition to uranium. That's one of the reasons they get recycled instead of thrown in the trash.

You destroy the hard drives just to protect you from data theft. You recycle the devices themselves because (technically) they're considered hazwaste (uranium) and contain precious metals, and aren't supposed to be thrown in the trash.

Yep, from a simple search below. Even if your trash is incinerated it’s still an issue. You should allow a recycler to handle them properly as suggested above.

Can you throw cell phones and computers in regular trash:No, you should never throw cell phones and computers in the regular trash. These devices contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and arsenic that can leach into groundwater if sent to landfills. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries pose a severe fire hazard in garbage trucks.