| Author |
Message |
    
ril
Citizen
Username: Ril
Post Number: 355
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 9:34 am: |     |
if the computer won't boot up?
My dinosaur PC running Windows 98 has given up the ghost, won't boot up past the Windows splash screen (goes black after that). It will intermittently start in safe mode.
I've already ordered a new Dell laptop, and I had backed up important files recently. So how can I delete personal data from this semi-dead machine before I get rid of it (and that's another question: how/where do you dispose of a dead computer?)
thanks...
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James O' reilly
Citizen
Username: Highlander
Post Number: 61
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 9:54 am: | |
The guy at One Stop Video Repairs in Maplewood will take in your old computer and re-cycle it.
I was concerned about my data also, so he will give you back your old hard drive. |
Nonymous Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 8397
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 10:43 am: | |
Take it to your driveway and bang it up with a big hammer. That will make it lose all data. It's good for getting out your aggressions, too.
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upondaroof
Citizen
Username: Upondaroof
Post Number: 246
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 10:52 am: | |
Boot up in DOS and format the drive, pull out same and either save or destroy. Check the yellow pages for recycling companies and also, most municipalities accept computers for recycle. |
Nonymous Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 8398
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 11:24 am: | |
A determined person can retrieve data off a disk that has been formatted. Not that it's likely that a determined person will go through your trash.
My hammer suggestion was serious. It's more likely to work.
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AlleyGater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 595
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 11:53 am: | |
How about a really big magnet? They sell de-magnetizers for this purpose too. I think this is a bit paranoid though. Just reformat the thing as mentioned above. You can continually reformat it, which is what the government does (what is it 10 times?) which I think would satisfy Tom. Right? |
Nonymous Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 8403
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 1:37 pm: | |
For the magnet to do the dirty deed, you'd have to dismantle the hard drive and run the magnet over the individual platters. That could be fun. I've taken apart hard disks, and the innards are intriguing. But it won't save time. |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 1106
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 1:41 pm: | |
Download BCWipe from Jetico. Free program.
http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/bcwipe3.htm
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Mayor McCheese
Supporter
Username: Mayor_mccheese
Post Number: 422
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 3:33 pm: | |
You can bring your old computer to the Maplewood dump. They have a place for old computers there. |
ril
Citizen
Username: Ril
Post Number: 356
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 3:39 pm: | |
Mayor, Can you bring a computer to Maplewood dump if you aren't a resident? or does SO have a similar policy?
cmonty, thanks for the link--but the computer is too dead to download anything. I'm liking the bash-the-heck-out-of-it-with-a-hammer idea. I've got LOTS of hostility towards this computer. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 1307
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 3:53 pm: | |
You can have some fun (in the "I'm-a-geek-with-too-much-time-on-my-hands or My-kids-really-want-to-know-what-the-inside-of-a-computer-looks-like" sense of the word "fun") and open the drive and mess around with the platters. A few minutes in a microwave should do the trick, or a few cracks with a hammer, as Tom suggests. |
Mayor McCheese
Supporter
Username: Mayor_mccheese
Post Number: 424
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 5:12 pm: | |
ril, I don't know if you need to be a resident of Maplewood. I am, but no one has ever stopped to ask me if I was. I don't think it would be a problem at all if you brought your computer there. |
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