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Best way to get rid of Computer Stuff ?
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neil_g
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thing is you have to make it impossible (physical destruction) or financially not viable to retrieve the data. data recovery companies will charge £100s if not £1000s to recover data from a drive. the latter if they only have the platters as they'll need access to clean rooms etc.
This makes quite good reading, as there are some entertaining ideas on how to destroy hard drives.
http://www.wikihow.com/Destroy-a-Hard-Drive
Considering that my own hard drives (going back fifteen years at least) contain all my personal data - bank details etc., then I would want the things destroyed totally.
http://www.wikihow.com/Destroy-a-Hard-Drive
Considering that my own hard drives (going back fifteen years at least) contain all my personal data - bank details etc., then I would want the things destroyed totally.
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jonbeeza
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Nope most definitely Not !
Apart from most of the stuff being broken, and old. I still don't want just anybody to get their hands on it. I did a lot of stuff on my old computers, both private and business stuff!
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jonbeeza
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I have decided, I am going to wait till bonfire night, and smash all my old and obsolete stuff into smithiriens nope, smitheriens nope, smithereens YES, there is no red underline under smithereens, so smithereens it must be then, what is smithereens? Quick Google search ( Fragments or splintered pieces; bits ) yes that's what I am going to do. It is always noisy at bonfire night where I live, as I live near one of Liverpool major firework display parks. I am going to get a big hammer and smash everything, ( into smithereens ) and if that does not do it, I will fly into a rage and fling everything into the nearest bonfire. I will of course observe health and safety, and tell everyone to stand well back
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Slight paranoia going on in this thread or not? Are the authorities really likely to be scouring local tips looking for hard drives with a nail driven through them so they can retrieve them and pay £1000's to see if there might be anything interesting on there? 
If you're that worried, keep the hard drives in the loft after youve nailed or hammered them, they're only small, and bin all the rest of the equipment?
Not having a go, just saying like.
If you're that worried, keep the hard drives in the loft after youve nailed or hammered them, they're only small, and bin all the rest of the equipment?
Not having a go, just saying like.
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jonbeeza
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Slight paranoia going on in this thread or not? Are the authorities really likely to be scouring local tips looking for hard drives with a nail driven through them so they can retrieve them and pay £1000's to see if there might be anything interesting on there?
If you're that worried, keep the hard drives in the loft after youve nailed or hammered them, they're only small, and bin all the rest of the equipment?
Not having a go, just saying like.
Nope I don't think we are paranoid, we simply don't want thieving little gits to be able to find out our personal private details. It is Nothing sinister, simply safeguarding our bank details and any email and other log in details.
I am not worried about Authorities or other Government bodies viewing my Computer, I never said I was. I am worried about it getting into the hands of thieving scumbags though
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Fair enough. I'm pretty sure a nail through it and drop it at the tip theres no way they could though. Being a hoarder I tend to just keep my old drives and drop off the chassis, monitor etc at the tip.
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jonbeeza
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I am also a hoarder but it's getting silly, I have got stuff that's old broken and obsolete filling my cupboards in boxes, under the bed in the loft I really do need a clear out. November the 5th, watching a big bonfire, and watching old hard drives etc getting fried
I fancy using acid to do the job. I recently unblocked our drain using a sulphuric acid drain cleaner, and when I poured some in an old pan so that I could brush it on the drain grille, it took the non stick coating off the pan.
I think it would be fun to see the hard drive discs dissolve.
I think it would be fun to see the hard drive discs dissolve.
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jonbeeza
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Obviously you are posting this in fun
yes it just may do the job, but just so dangerous in so many ways.
neil_g
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Indeed. Identity theft these days is big business for scumbags.
Unless you have something highly illegal on the drives I doubt the Gov would give two hoots. Even then enough passes from a secure erase program would have them stumped for a very long time if not completely. But even then any self respecting crim would probably be running some decent encryption.
Obviously you are posting this in fun
Well the acid certainly does need a safety first policy - twin cartridge respirator, safety glasses, thick rubber gloves - but I think it would be possible.
Before reading this thread, I thought hard disks were made from cast iron?