How to delete hard drive and dispose of a lap top?

[Tactically Fat]

There are a few ways to get your old photos off the HD if you're inclined... As a guy who has precious few printed photos, I suggest that you make the attempt to transfer them to another device.

You've even been offered a little bit of help doing it.

You could even attempt temporarily mounting the old HD as a "slave" on your current computer and transferring them that way...

 

[tmschuller]

No kidding. Who would actually prefer to NOT blow something up?

Yes, what a way to start off the shooting season a group "exterminate our computer and stuff" meet and shoot.! I know someone that has plenty of binary target marking materials....

 

[cosermann]

Reformat it.

It's a very simple matter to recover data from a drive that's been deleted, reformatted, re-partitioned, etc. I've demo'ed that for people before. Easy peasy. So, definitely don't do that.

I'd download a copy of DBAN [1], boot from something other than the hard drive, and wipe from there. Since the OP mentioned that the CD-ROM isn't functional and it won't boot form a thumb drive, he might be dead in the water. OP, can you boot from an external, USB hard drive (if you have one)?

If you can't boot from an alternate device, then physical destruction may be the way to go (although it's a bit more of a pain in the neck).

[1] - https://dban.org/

 

[lovemachine]

Thanks guys. My wife is going to see if we have print outs of the pictures first. It takes forever to even boot up the computer. And the pictures are stored on a program called Kodak Easy Share. I haven't even been able to find the pictures outside of the program.

Just want to see if it will even be worth the trouble of saving the pictures first.

 

[churchmouse]

Thanks guys. My wife is going to see if we have print outs of the pictures first. It takes forever to even boot up the computer. And the pictures are stored on a program called Kodak Easy Share. I haven't even been able to find the pictures outside of the program.

Just want to see if it will even be worth the trouble of saving the pictures first.

Having lost the 1st 29 years of my life in pictures (Divorce) I am one to say get them if you can.

 

[jgressley2003]

Beat me by 6 hours

I'm really surprised no one said it before me

 

[woowoo2]

Thanks guys. My wife is going to see if we have print outs of the pictures first.

Look at Post 39
Why kill a perfectly good hard drive?

Get your files off the old drive, format it, then use it as a portable drive/backup.

 

[JettaKnight]

I have a huge stack of hard driver platters and a row of hard drive magnets. The magnets are super useful, the disks are good only if you want to make a plate armor tunic or have a nerdie Xmas tree. The rest of the metal goes to recycling.


Theoretically, someone might be able to recover Commander Keen from that stack of platters...

 

[HoughMade]

I think this whole discussion comes down to: how tech savvy is your wife?

 

[russc2542]

You asked this question on a gun forum. What answer did you expect? Lol

This says it all.

 

[JettaKnight]

I think this whole discussion comes down to: how tech savvy is your wife?

Took me a couple hours, but I see what you did there.

 

[Alamo]

If you want to be sure...

[video=youtube;LAPo1dgrHms]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAPo1dgrHms[/video]

 

[Alamo]

Or maybe the problem will solve itself if you just leave it plugged in...Dell laptop explodes 4 times in terrifying surveillance video | Clark Howard

 

[MikeBrennan]

I have an old Dell laptop. It has Windows XP, and I think I bought it 2005? Not sure, but it doesn't have wifi capability.
I am wanting to get rid of it, but don't know how. I would also like to wipe out the hard drive.

I do have pictures on it, but Internet Explorer is so out dated and slow on this computer, I'm unable to do anything to upload the pictures. And the CD burner is fried, plus it won't use a thumb drive.
So, I'm not going to bother and try to keep the pictures. I may have print outs somewhere though.

So how do I wipe out the hard drive? And how do I dispose of the lap top?

Diesel fuel and a torch.

 

[actaeon277]

Well, if you live a little closer, dumping it in liquid steel always works for me.

 

[croy]

75 yards is just a recommendation!

 

[Cameramonkey]

Now that I think about it, take a hammer to it. The platters on some laptop drives are made out of some tempered material. One hit with a hammer and the platters shatter and when you shake it it sounds like it is full of sand.

 

[A 7.62 Exodus]

Just factory reset the computer. That will erase everything on the computer, and restore it back to factory default. As for disposing of said laptop, maybe give it to goodwill? I also know there are places that recycle old electronics, and they may pay you to have it shipped to them. Those would be the two routes I would take.

For good measure, here's a directional. Restore Dell Laptop to Factory Settings

 

[RobbyMaQ]

a) There is software that will open/convert your easy share files. I did it a few years back, and think maybe it was picasa?
b) Dismantle the hardrive if you are selling it... there are some cool magnets to be found inside.
3) I just like putting 3 instead of C

 

[Cameramonkey]

Just factory reset the computer. That will erase everything on the computer, and restore it back to factory default. As for disposing of said laptop, maybe give it to goodwill? I also know there are places that recycle old electronics, and they may pay you to have it shipped to them. Those would be the two routes I would take.

For good measure, here's a directional. Restore Dell Laptop to Factory Settings

do not do this. This will not guarantee your files are gone beyond recovery. It might be ok if you are giving it to a close family member but not to give it away.