Proper Computer Disposal?

[Hexa Fox]

Hey guys I was hoping that this community could help me out on this topic.

I have heard many times that properly recycling/disposing of computer related equipment can come back to haunt the owner. I do not want to be one of these people. I have already done some good research, but want some real feedback here.

So I have several old computers that I would like to properly recycle. Among them are some devices that were used by several other family members and were used for a long period of time. Therefore, I do not even want to think about what kind of sensitive data could be on them.

Therefore, I have narrowed it down to two different options I was hoping you guys could help me figure out.

1.) Purge
If I find some reputable software I could consider trying to completely erase the contents of the hard disk drives. This would allow me to bring the entire computer into a location to be properly recycled. However, I understand this method is good, but not 100% full proof. This I do not like.

2.) Destroy
I could remove the hard drive and destroy the disk. Then throw what is left in my metal scrap pile and make a one cent profit off it later. Then take the computers to the location to be properly recycled minus the hard drives.

To make a long story short I am opting more for destroying them (HDD's) than anything. I do not know how much you guys keep up with the latest trends, but I constantly hear of places like Best Buy snooping through contents of devices that are being repaired/recycled. It sucks @$$ that we cannot recycle electronics without having to worry about some @$$ snooping through our personal lives. It is no wonder so much of these components end up in a landfill rather than recycling centers.

 

[Hexa Fox]

Did you seriously go there?  

I am just saying... its an option .. right ?

I recycle my old computers by getting new cheap drive, slapping oem windows with license that was on computer (so xp on xc box etc) and I set it up working condition and donate it to a "youth program" in my area that donates these computers to needing families so their children can have a computer do to school work from home instead of at library. (the program gives low cost internet to the same families)

what we think is old (like a Q8300 8gb DDR2 ) is a good computer for learning, not gaming in truth, but eh.. if it was I would still be using it.

updated for typos

Yes it is definitely an option.

You are welcome to tell me where I should donate them to. However, it will have to be without the HDD's in them. I would not want to install another HDD into a device even if I formatted it and put a clean version of Windows on it or something. I just would not want to risk being held responsible for whatever was on the HDD I installed.

Because I was probably going to drop them off at my local Staples (office supplies store) and let them handle recycling them. If I can donate them to someone that might be interested in replacing the HDD for something like a youth program I would be more than happy to.

 

[The Paladin]

Where you located ? I would be willing to take them on depending on the system (P3 P4's are out you know.. lol) and do what I always do.

 

[JordanMihailov]

If you want to get rid of this computer why don't you sell it. I know that there are a lot of companies that buy old tech. After that they'll know what to do

My concern is the personal information that could be on the device. Like I mentioned the two we are contemplating getting rid of have been around for a long time. One has Windows XP and the other has Windows Vista, which are both discontinued anyway. They have been used by different members of my family as well so there is not telling what all could be recovered.

You literally cannot trust anyone these days. I will not point any fingers here, but you can easily do a Google search to see some of the blatant attacks on privacy that have been committed. You will find that these are usually businesses that took in the devices on donation or were tasked with repairing the device. While the devices were in their position they took it upon themselves to go through the personal information contained on the devices.

This is what troubles me.

If you physically destroy hdd you won't need to be concerned anymore.