Used Computer Disposal

[Michelle]

Does anyone have any tips on how to dispose of an old computer?

[Walter Curtis]

Walter Curtis said:

I'm from Calvert County Maryland within Calvert County there are trash disposal area and some of these site have a dumpest for old computer make sure you take the mother board out of hard driver.

[Carolyn Thomas]

I went to Best Buy and they charge $20 to remove and destroy the hard-drive. I'm like another person who said she'd rather SEE the hard drive being destroyed. My problem is I haven't been able to identify the hard drive, let alone get it out - despite checking online sites. I'm mechanically challenged... I have a partly dismantled pc sitting on the floor looking at me reproachfully from a nest of wires and screws. Maybe I'll take it outside, hammer the whole thing into small bits and put the bits in a garbage bag for the recyclers.

Chris B. said:

You can try www.electronicsrecycling.org to find a site near you. I hear Best Buy is recycling electronics now, also.

Some recycling sites may charge for recycling anything with a tube (old televisions, computer monitors). A few years ago I took some old computers to a site where they destroyed the hard drives while you watch. There was a charge for this, but worth it for the more paranoid among us, like myself.

[Joseph M. Escue]

Dang! I wish I got $20 for wiping hard drives. I have repaired and rebuilt six computers for friends, neighbors and famly this year and have two more sitting in the den for when I have time. Here is what you need to securely wipe your HD- BCWipe. If you search around you might find the old 2.28 version which isn't as fancy and does the same thing but it was free. Below is a link to the developer's web site if your interested.

http://www.jetico.com/wiping-bcwipe/

[Vicki Yuen]

Speaking of identity theft - maybe you have seen that You Tube video about how office copy machines also have a hard drive, and there is a copy of everything on there - it was shocking the sort of info gotten off the hard drive of a copy machine. Medical records, arrest records - anything that was photocopied. I'm not sure if our little home copy machines have a hard drive like that, though.

[Joseph M. Escue]

Yep. I knew about that before that bit of news started circulating around the web. We had a problem with that and tax payer data when I worked for Revenue. We instructed our hardware guys to destroy all hard drives from all devices that had them or use the drive wiping tool.

Vicki Yuen said:

Speaking of identity theft - maybe you have seen that You Tube video about how office copy machines also have a hard drive, and there is a copy of everything on there - it was shocking the sort of info gotten off the hard drive of a copy machine. Medical records, arrest records - anything that was photocopied. I'm not sure if our little home copy machines have a hard drive like that, though.

[Melody Grandell]

Where are you located? Intero Los Altos is having an eWaste disposal day in September. If that isn't convenient, check out www.earthcarerecycling.com.

[Missy Taliancich]

destroy with a hammer---fool proof!

[Susanne Hawkins]

Best Buy took ours at no cost for recycling. You might also want to talk to some of the elementary schools or local day cares. They can use them for the kids to play games on without having to get on the internet.

[Gail B. Williams]

Goodwill Industries usually will take them.