samtam Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Between us we have accumulated 6 dead laptops, which I'd dearly love to toss, (or donate should their innards be of interest; I know of a charity that does just that). I am of course concerned about residual personal information on them. How can I remove (bleach) that effectively? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJPom Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 If they are not working the only certain way to remove any information is to remove the hard drive and physically destroy it. Should you prefer to donate them with the hard drive find someone who can remove and attach them to a working machine and scrub them via one of the many apps available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inn Between Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 I remember seeing something about using a powerful enough magnet to destroy any data, but you'll likely have to remove the HD's to do it....and find a big ol' magnet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mapguy Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 You can find the necessary information on wiping a disk in many places. You can also go to a repair shop to do it But the basic question remains, what do you do with computers to be junked --- in an environmentally good manner, of course? That is definitely a BIG question. Sell for parts? Other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritsSikkink Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Here loads of info about erasing data: https://www.bing.com/search?q=wipe+hard+disk+tool&form=EDNTHT&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&msnews=1&refig=1c9d8095a3084e1ad3efe7ba739079a9&sp=4&qs=SC&pq=wipe+harddisk&sk=PRES1SC3&sc=8-13&cvid=1c9d8095a3084e1ad3efe7ba739079a9&cc=US&setlang=en-US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 My favorite drive wiper strategy: 1) use Darik's Boot and Nuke This is real mean, there's no coming back, and the partition table will become the digital equiv of ground meat. I've used it from Hiren's boot CD (both DBN and Hiren's are no longer supported, which doesn't mean they've stopped working, but I'm not sure how DBN will handle UEFI.) On the TV series Silicon Valley there was a scene where they were going to intentionally destroy data, and I recognized the DBN screen. 2) re-partiton and reformat disk, do not use quick format. This is actually enough. 3) this one may not be necessary, and will take a while load all the space on the disk with garbage. Be sure your garbage does not contain anything identifying. I like large movie files of bad movies. If you want to be a rascal and mess with someone who may try to extract data from the disk, do a quick reformat: if/when they try to retrieve the data, the garbage files will give the impression they are on to something. DBN is mentioned here https://fossbytes.com/best-hard-drive-eraser-tools/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsetBkk Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Ask Hillary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin case Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/4/2020 at 9:14 PM, Inn Between said: I remember seeing something about using a powerful enough magnet to destroy any data, but you'll likely have to remove the HD's to do it....and find a big ol' magnet. MICROWAVE for a few seconds till it sparks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaanbiker Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 I have donated some PC's and Laptops to schools in the sticks that do not have computers. Are they still functioning? Or what are the problems and how old are they? I know quite a lot of schools where students would be more than happy to use a Computer. I have some language learning programs where students can earn English without having a teacher who speaks it. These schools are in Sisaket province, the poorest area in Thailand. There aren't Thai teachers who speak any English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell17au Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 If there is nothing wrong with the hard drives you could remove them and buy some of the covers and use them as external storage that can be used instead of USB's. There are plenty of cases available to use just look around or even go on Lazada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eindhoven Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Are they truly dead? List some model numbers. Perhaps they are salvageable and can be sent up to Issanbiker or some other worthy cause. I would certainly help with the refurbishment if I can find the time before leaving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithkarmann Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/4/2020 at 9:14 PM, Inn Between said: I remember seeing something about using a powerful enough magnet to destroy any data, but you'll likely have to remove the HD's to do it....and find a big ol' magnet. I have a bulk tape eraser that I use to erase all the information on reel to reel tape. It is a powerfull electro magnet. I may try it on a faulty hard drive, hopefully it may repair the hard drive. Will repost after I have tried. Not much use to you unless you live close to me. They used a giant electro magnet in Breaking Bad to erase info on a laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurtf Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Go to the nearest hardware store. Buy an ax. Take it home and start whaling away. When all the pieces are no larger than 4 inches in diameter, collect them all up and place in the nearest garbage receptacle. Problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithkarmann Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 3 minutes ago, keithkarmann said: I have a bulk tape eraser that I use to erase all the information on reel to reel tape. It is a powerfull electro magnet. I may try it on a faulty hard drive, hopefully it may repair the hard drive. Will repost after I have tried. Not much use to you unless you live close to me. They used a giant electro magnet in Breaking Bad to erase info on a laptop. If you remove a hard drive you can put it in a caddy, connect to a working laptop and format the drive in the caddy. I used this method on my laptop that had crashed badly, connected it to my wifes laptop and let it do a repair that took about 12 hours . I was not very hopefull doing this but it worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain 776 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Whatever you do...........take the hard drive out and give it the “Clinton” treatment..........so no one sees all that porn on there......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 14 minutes ago, keithkarmann said: If you remove a hard drive you can put it in a caddy, connect to a working laptop and format the drive in the caddy. I used this method on my laptop that had crashed badly, connected it to my wifes laptop and let it do a repair that took about 12 hours . I was not very hopefull doing this but it worked. https://www.jib.co.th/web/product/readProduct/11422 case 270 baht at Tuckom upstairs Jib computers , serious big shop, I bought 2 who I use with 2 disks from older laptops and I use as system image backups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxeo Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Do remove the hard disks! Do destroy them physically. More than once and with full power, I killed hard disks and sticks with a big hammer. I got 500 Baht at tuk.com in South Pattaya for my old Compaq. Without HD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunPer Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Low level format of Hard Drive should do it – perhaps you still can low level format a HD from the computer's BIOS screen when starting up, if the computer can still start. Otherwise, if you can take the HD out, you can connect it to a working computer as extra, or external, HD and do a full format it from there (not quick format). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunPer Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 2 hours ago, justin case said: MICROWAVE for a few seconds till it sparks Sure, and both HD and microwave oven are useless...???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 4 minutes ago, khunPer said: Low level format of Hard Drive should do it – perhaps you still can low level format a HD from the computer's BIOS screen when starting up, if the computer can still start. Otherwise, if you can take the HD out, you can connect it to a working computer as extra, or external, HD and do a full format it from there (not quick format). you an also use them to store downloaded movies and play by media player from Smart Tv or by a stand alone media player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunPer Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 54 minutes ago, keithkarmann said: I have a bulk tape eraser that I use to erase all the information on reel to reel tape. It is a powerfull electro magnet. I may try it on a faulty hard drive, hopefully it may repair the hard drive. Will repost after I have tried. Not much use to you unless you live close to me. They used a giant electro magnet in Breaking Bad to erase info on a laptop. If it's a bulk tape eraser for 1/4 inch tape it will not be powerful enough, you might need a more professional one to spoil a (shielded) HD, like the ones used for 2 inch multi-track tapes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunPer Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 4 minutes ago, david555 said: you an also use them to store downloaded movies and play by media player from Smart Tv or by a stand alone media player Be aware that HDs have a limited life-time; reusing old HD as storage might equal loss of data. Professional storage companies change HDs after three or five years, no matter the HD's condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 8 minutes ago, khunPer said: Be aware that HDs have a limited life-time; reusing old HD as storage might equal loss of data. Professional storage companies change HDs after three or five years, no matter the HD's condition. My oldest disk is now from a former MSI Wind clone (Medion ) 10 inch (11 years ago bought ) and still working fine , same as my first 1 gb usb stick same age in daily use for small outgoing to shop printing things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 34 minutes ago, Victornoir said: A simple cable also works well (100 b). Perhaps also rebuild one or more functional machines with the parts in good condition. Hard drives, memory cards and even screens are easily commutable. This looks anyway more professional & secure for dust an capable 3.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChouDoufu Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/4/2020 at 9:56 PM, samtam said: Between us we have accumulated 6 dead laptops, which I'd dearly love to toss, (or donate should their innards be of interest; I know of a charity that does just that). I am of course concerned about residual personal information on them. How can I remove (bleach) that effectively? phrasing please! from the title i thought, oh, just drop 'em off at the bar where you got 'em. didn't realize until further reading that it was about organ donations. but residual personal information? oh, my. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAFETY FIRST Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Buy a copy of Windows 10 from eBay,only a few hundred baht. Do a fresh install thus erasing everything. Now use it for music, Spotify. Connect to 5.1 surround sound system. Stream your music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingstonkid Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 OP the simple way is the easiest. Take out the HD or SSD open your front door Walk to your garbage bin Put laptops beside bin Go inside Guarantee it will be gone in the morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Dough Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 A second hand dealer might give you 1,000 baht for six. Why should you be worried about the data. They will just want the bits like screens and other parts won't they. Rooster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Is it really so difficult to write a posting with basic information .. like ... the city you are in ... the general age and type of laptop ...etc. ??? If you were in Bangkok .. I could tell you exactly who to give them to. Too tired to do the detective work to figure out where you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggg88 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/4/2020 at 2:14 PM, Inn Between said: I remember seeing something about using a powerful enough magnet to destroy any data, but you'll likely have to remove the HD's to do it....and find a big ol' magnet. How do you test that it has worked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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