Probably a silly question, but....

[Writer1194]

OK, it's probably a silly question, but I'll ask anyway. I'm disgarding an old
computer. I know it's advisable to remove the hard drive because information
can be recovered from it. Are there any other parts of a computer other than
the hard drive from which info can be removed. Also, are there any componets
inside the monitor that contain retrievable info? Thanks in advance.

 

[Will Dormann]

OK, it's probably a silly question, but I'll ask anyway. I'm disgarding an old
computer. I know it's advisable to remove the hard drive because information
can be recovered from it. Are there any other parts of a computer other than
the hard drive from which info can be removed. Also, are there any componets
inside the monitor that contain retrievable info? Thanks in advance.

No. The hard drive should suffice.


-WD

 

[Ted Lind]

Removing and destroying the HD is one way of assuring any data is destroyed.
The next question is what do you do with the old computer. It contains
materials that are hazardous. Many land fills will not take them.

Please consider donating the computer to an organization that will refurbish
the computer. If you do refurbish the computer, consider not removing the
hard drive but wiping it. There is freeware available that will do a very
respectable job of wiping the information on the HD.
http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm Also many refurbishing
organizations will do a wipe for you. It helps them get complete computers
that have HDs so they can recycle them.

Finally, if you cannot donate it to an organization that will refurbish the
computer, you will probably have to take it to a recycler. Often they will
charge a small fee to dispose of the computer.

 

[Eric Gisin]

| Removing and destroying the HD is one way of assuring any data is destroyed.
| The next question is what do you do with the old computer. It contains
| materials that are hazardous. Many land fills will not take them.
|
This is an outright lie made up by environmentalists. Computers are no more
hazardous than the electronics of the last 100 years, most of which is in
landfills now.

| Please consider donating the computer to an organization that will refurbish
| the computer. If you do refurbish the computer, consider not removing the
| hard drive but wiping it. There is freeware available that will do a very
| respectable job of wiping the information on the HD.
| http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm Also many refurbishing
| organizations will do a wipe for you. It helps them get complete computers
| that have HDs so they can recycle them.
|
| Finally, if you cannot donate it to an organization that will refurbish the
| computer, you will probably have to take it to a recycler. Often they will
| charge a small fee to dispose of the computer.

There is no such thing as recycling a computer. The costs are higher than the
recovered metals. The whole industry is a feel-good environmentalist scam.

 

[Rod Speed]

Removing and destroying the HD is one
way of assuring any data is destroyed.
Correct.

The next question is what do you do with the old
computer. It contains materials that are hazardous.
Wrong.

Many land fills will not take them.

Their problem.

Please consider donating the computer to an
organization that will refurbish the computer.

No thanks, stupid to be using dinosaurs.

 

[Ted Lind]

To a degree, you are correct about computers being just another electronic
device. Most electronics contain hazardous materials and should not be
deposited in a land fill. Computers just tend to be larger and become
obsolete quicker. Even 30 years ago, there was not a lot of electronics to
be disposed of. Today the amount of old electronics is vastly greatere. The
point is that many landfills will not accept hazardous electronics so you
opinion about it being an environmental conspiracy really does not matter.

I am personally acquainted with at least one company that recycles
computers. They do in locally (that is they do not ship it to Asia or
anywhere else). They have state of the art equipment to shred the computer
and recover the useful materials. They charge companies and individuals to
make a profit. They can do this because many waste companies will not accept
old electronic equipment any more.

In other countries, mostly in Europe, the company who manufactures the
equipment has to take back the equipment at end of life and recycle the
materials. This forces the manufacturer to design the equipment for recycle.
It is just a matter of time until we see similar laws in this country.

 

[Ted Lind]

No, if you cannot dispose of electronic equipment it will be your problem,
unless you are one of those who would dump it on the side of the road.

As far as donating computer to be refurbished, you have no idea what you are
talking about. I am a volunteer for a refurbishing organization. We
refurbish almost a thousand computers a year and give them free of charge to
very low income families. We also teach them computer literacy.

The computers are loaded with the Win98 operating system and Open Office
suite plus many other useful applications. The computers run very well and
are very useful for most of our client's needs. They may not have the
fastest processor and large hard disks, but for someone trying to write a
resume or a kid doing homework, they are just perfect. Our clients are very
happy to receive these "dinosaurs" because they are on the wrong side of the
digital divide and the alternative is nothing at all.

 

[Guest]

| Removing and destroying the HD is one way of assuring any data is destroyed.
| The next question is what do you do with the old computer. It contains
| materials that are hazardous. Many land fills will not take them.
|
This is an outright lie made up by environmentalists. Computers are no more
hazardous than the electronics of the last 100 years, most of which is in
landfills now.

| Please consider donating the computer to an organization that will refurbish
| the computer. If you do refurbish the computer, consider not removing the
| hard drive but wiping it. There is freeware available that will do a very
| respectable job of wiping the information on the HD.
| http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm Also many refurbishing
| organizations will do a wipe for you. It helps them get complete computers
| that have HDs so they can recycle them.
|
| Finally, if you cannot donate it to an organization that will refurbish the
| computer, you will probably have to take it to a recycler. Often they will
| charge a small fee to dispose of the computer.

There is no such thing as recycling a computer. The costs are higher than the
recovered metals. The whole industry is a feel-good environmentalist scam.

If the whole industry is a scam, then why does a local metal recycler pay me
cash for dead motherboards, memory, and some PCI cards? You going to
tell me he's in business to lose money?

NoSpam

 

[Rod Speed]

If the whole industry is a scam, then why does a local metal recycler
pay me cash for dead motherboards, memory, and some PCI cards?

Most likely because some terminaly stupid govt
subsidy scheme makes it viable for him to do that.

You going to tell me he's in business to lose money?

Nope, to take advantage of some stupid govt feel good environmental scam.

 

[Rod Speed]

No,
Yep.

if you cannot dispose of electronic equipment

Taint gunna happen.

it will be your problem,

Nope, because that wont happen.

unless you are one of those who would dump it on the side of the road.

And thats why only the most terminally stupid govts would
make it impossible to dispose of electronic equipment,
because thats what most people would inevitably do.

As far as donating computer to be refurbished,
you have no idea what you are talking about.

Guess which silly little prat has just made a VERY spectacular fool of itself ?

I am a volunteer for a refurbishing organization.

Well, whoopy bloody do. Doesnt mean that
that operation is doing anything worth doing.

We refurbish almost a thousand computers a year

More fool you.

and give them free of charge to very low income families.

We dont have any that are so hopeless that they need that approach.

We also teach them computer literacy.

Well whoopy bloody do.

The computers are loaded with the Win98 operating system
and Open Office suite plus many other useful applications.

Well whoopy bloody do.

The computers run very well and are
very useful for most of our client's needs.

That level of bludger doesnt qualify as 'clients' and
they dont have any real 'needs' in that area anyway.

Any country with a clue on the basics has better hardware
than that for the dregs to learn basic computer literacy on.

Yours is completely hopeless ? Your problem.

They may not have the fastest processor and large
hard disks, but for someone trying to write a resume
or a kid doing homework, they are just perfect.

And even the dregs who depend entirely on welfare handouts
can afford perfectly adequate hardware to do that stuff here.

Our clients are very happy to receive these "dinosaurs" because

Because they are obviously completely unemployable dregs/bludgers
who spend their entire pathetic excuses for 'lives' bludging on handouts.

they are on the wrong side of the digital divide

Careful you dont end up blind now.

 

[J.Clarke]

Wrong. No Subsidy. Metals reclaimed and sold on the open market.
Stick to HDD tech issues - seem to know what you're talking about
there. You the fool in this thread. Too bad. Used to think you were
one smart dude. Oh well.

Idiot Savant?

 

[Guest]

scam.

Most likely because some terminaly stupid govt
subsidy scheme makes it viable for him to do that.


Nope, to take advantage of some stupid govt feel good environmental scam.

Wrong. No Subsidy. Metals reclaimed and sold on the open market.
Stick to HDD tech issues - seem to know what you're talking about there.
You the fool in this thread. Too bad. Used to think you were one smart
dude. Oh well.

NoSpam

 

[Rita_A_Berkowitz]

Wrong. No Subsidy. Metals reclaimed and sold on the open market.

Stick to HDD tech issues - seem to know what you're talking about there.
You the fool in this thread. Too bad. Used to think you were one smart
dude. Oh well.

Stick around he gets better. And, you are correct about money to be made
with scrap computers. This is a booming business with a lot of competition.
What doesn't get sold domestically gets bought by over seas scrap dealers.
Scrap boards and components fetch high prices in Asia.



Rita

 

[Eric Gisin]

scam.

Wrong. No Subsidy. Metals reclaimed and sold on the open market.
Stick to HDD tech issues - seem to know what you're talking about there.
You the fool in this thread. Too bad. Used to think you were one smart
dude. Oh well.

There is very little scrap value in today's computers. The monitor contains
about a Kg of copper. The gold contacts can be snapped of boards. I doubt
that is even a dollar.

Unless you are paying third world wages, it doesn't make business sense to
rip a computer apart.

Someone else mentioned that China will reuse components like PCI boards and
CPU/memory. They probably still build Pentium mainboards to use this stuff
with.

 

[Rod Speed]

Pigs arse it does.

And many will.

Correct.

Correct.

Considered and rejected.

Makes more sense to recycle the individuals involved, into dog food.

All 'environmentalists' in spades.

Not in any sensible country.

And only a fool pays that.

Correct.

Wrong. No Subsidy.
Bullshit.

Metals reclaimed and sold on the open market.

There's **** all 'metals' in a PC that that can be done with.

Try listing what can be obtained from a hulk like that.

Stick to HDD tech issues

Go shove your head up a dead bear's arse.

- seem to know what you're talking about there.

And this too thanks.

You the fool in this thread.

Nope, you are. Try listing what 'metals' can be obtained from a hulk PC.

And then wipe that egg thats all over your silly little face.

Too bad. Used to think you were one smart dude. Oh well.

You have always been, and always will be, completely and utterly irrelevant.

In spades when you're so stupid that you cant work out the
value of 'metals' in some dinosaur PC and the cost of getting
those into a merchantable form in a first world country.

Not a ****ing clue. As always.