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I have to dispose of my old computer. What is the best way to get rid of an old computer. Some say smash it up but there is a lot of info still on it.

Any suggestions please.
Phyll

Can you do a download to a memory stick of what you want to keep

When my old PC gave up the ghost I needed the family history program info on it as hadn't saved it for some time

I got a man that can in and he took the tower away and took the hard disk out and put it in another tower he had and got it all up and running

Means I haven't lost al the work I had down and I have saved the program to a memory stick

The FRM 2006 isn't compatible to windows 10 so I have bought an update FTM and downloaded the tree from ancestry that has updated from the old FTM program

Are you trying to delete all the info so that it can't be 'stolen'?

Although Rollo and other IT people are probably the best to advise, you can download a Hard Drive Scrubber for free. Our son-in-law saved one on to a disc, then kept running the programme until everything was gone.

Using the search term Computer Scrubber, these previews came up as result.


Hard Disk Scrubber - Secure Delete Utility - Summit Computer Networks
www.summitcn.com/hdscrub.html
Summit's Hard Disk Scrubber is a Free secure delete program designed to help you permanently destroy sensitive data from your PC. Use Hard Disk Scrubber ...

Hard Disk Scrubber - Free download and software reviews - CNET ...
download.cnet.com › Windows Software › Security Software › Privacy Software
Rating: 3.3 - ?9 reviews - ?Free - ?Windows - ?Security
From Summit Computer Networks: Overwrite and Delete files so that they are gone for good. This utility will destroy the data contained within a file and then ...

Hard Disk Scrubber v3.4 Review (A Free Data Wipe Tool) - Lifewire
https://www.lifewire.com › Buy › Software & Apps › Backup & Utilities
26 Apr 2017 - Hard Disk Scrubber is a free file shredder program with support for ... the computer when it's finished, and give Hard Disk Scrubber priority over ...

Wipe Hard Drives with DriveScrubber - Iolo Technologies
www.iolo.com/products/drivescrubber/
20 Aug 2013 - Registry cleaner myths · Computer repair · PC tuneup · System speed · Registry repair · Slow computer · Windows startup · System cleaner.

I have two old towers In a cupboard .stuff on I need to download & keep .just seen this advise on here .think will have to get someone to down load on to a memory stick .Thanks

You can remove the hard drive and purchase a device into which you can load it. Then plug into a USB slot and then you have an extra removable drive which you can read in the usual way and use as a back up.

PS it won't work if your old PC had a hard drive failure.

Thanks for advise but I have got all the info I need from the old one put onto new one. So I really want to get rid of the old computer but need to (smash) the hard drive up so it can't be got at. Is there anyway of doing this safely?

There is no need to smash the hard drive. Just unscrew the cover (star screwdriver v cheap) and the small controller board. You can then see the disk platter. Scratch it with, say, a screwdriver. Job done dispose of in environmental waste not gen household. There is no going back so be sure you have everything backed up not just copied to another drive. I usually keep the old drive by for a bit in case of panic.

Spinners are rapidly dying out in favour of solid state drives which have crashed in price and are far quicker. Silent too.

Thanks Rollo

Looks like the way to go.

I got rid of my last PC. Took out the hard drive and smashed it into small pieces then binned it