Calling all techy-geeky-type people!

[eesquared]

This is most definitely NOT an auto question.

Ok - I am aware that when disposing of old computers, printers, phones, etc., one must, for security porpoises, remove the disk drive or smart card or whatever stores all you personal data.

Question: What do you do with a printer or computer hard drive after you have removed it and donated the dead computer body to the electronics recycling people?

The last time I disposed of an old cell phone, I removed the guts and gave my 12-year old son a hammer. I told him to smash the thing. He did! There were sparks and scorch marks all over the sidewalk. He effectively destroyed it.

I do not want to set him loose with a computer hard drive - much bigger, much more sparking.

What do you do with old hard drives? I do not want to keep them around as clutter.

Suggestions?

[grouch]

This is most definitely NOT an auto question.

Ok - I am aware that when disposing of old computers, printers, phones, etc., one must, for security porpoises, remove the disk drive or smart card or whatever stores all you personal data.

Question: What do you do with a printer or computer hard drive after you have removed it and donated the dead computer body to the electronics recycling people?

The last time I disposed of an old cell phone, I removed the guts and gave my 12-year old son a hammer. I told him to smash the thing. He did! There were sparks and scorch marks all over the sidewalk. He effectively destroyed it.

I do not want to set him loose with a computer hard drive - much bigger, much more sparking.

What do you do with old hard drives? I do not want to keep them around as clutter.

Suggestions?

Head over to the home improvement store and get the biggest magnet you can find. Rub it around on the hard drive in an eccentric pattern to scramble any magnetic fields. (Guess why you shouldn't put magnets on your computer.) Don't repeat your pattern and just wipe that puppy clean. Next, take a drill and drill a bunch of holes into the hard drive itself.

I'll bet your cell phone had the battery still in it. When I get rid of one, I give it to the Sheriffs office. A female deputy takes the phone, wipes the storage and gives it to battered women who have left an abusive relationship. Even if it doesn't have current service, it can still call 911.

Your old hard drive doesn't have an internal power source (like a battery). Once it's scrambled, drilled and such, smack itwith a hammer. Take the pieces and throw them away in different trash bags.

[eesquared]

Head over to the home improvement store and get the biggest magnet you can find. Rub it around on the hard drive in an eccentric pattern to scramble any magnetic fields. (Guess why you shouldn't put magnets on your computer.) Don't repeat your pattern and just wipe that puppy clean. Next, take a drill and drill a bunch of holes into the hard drive itself.

I'll bet your cell phone had the battery still in it. When I get rid of one, I give it to the Sheriffs office. A female deputy takes the phone, wipes the storage and gives it to battered women who have left an abusive relationship. Even if it doesn't have current service, it can still call 911.

Your old hard drive doesn't have an internal power source (like a battery). Once it's scrambled, drilled and such, smack itwith a hammer. Take the pieces and throw them away in different trash bags.

I thought about the magnet, but wasn't sure if it would be that effective.

[Eric]

Do you live in the country? If you do, do as I do - do as Elvis would do - and blast it with a .45!

[Ken]

Do you live in the country? If you do, do as I do - do as Elvis would do - and blast it with a .45!

In the words of the song 'It's a m-m-m man's world'.

Ken.

[dBrong]

There are programs (Norton comes to mind) that will do a DoD solid erase of the drive. This amounts to writing zeros in every track/sector, three times.

Personally, as a programmer, I wack the drive with a 2-3lb hammer, a couple of times.

[dom]

How ever you decide to do it works. Just as long as that hard drive is in busted up pieces you are straight. You know what the hard drive looks like right?

[eesquared]

Do you live in the country? If you do, do as I do - do as Elvis would do - and blast it with a .45!

See, I would not have thought of that. I should have asked my sons...they can come up with more ways to destroy stuff than I thought were possible.

Unfortunately, we do not live in the country. We do, however, have a very large backyard with a place reserved for BB and bow/arrow practice. It seems to me that a 13-year old boy with a BB gun would be just as efficient, huh? It might take him a few more shots than it would take Hubby with his Dirty Harry piece, but that would be the fun of it, right? He would get to shoot lots of BBs.

[eesquared]

In the words of the song 'It's a m-m-m man's world'.

Ken.

Ken, you sexist old dawg. <snickle>

Just so you know, I can outshoot my husband with his 44 mag....and he's a really good (rrreeeaallly good) shot. Ok, so I don't outshoot him every time, but I can hold my own. I scored in the 97th precentile on the shooting part of the CHL test with a piece that I had never shot before (I borrowed it from one of the guys in the class).

Here is something to consider: Once my husband and I were target practicing, using the full-size man targets. He kept telling me I was a bad shot because my shots were all hitting low. He was thinking out loud that he might need to readjust the sights. I sweetly informed him that the gun was perfectly sighted because I was hitting right where I was aiming - the groin. His response was "Oh." And then he had nothing more to say.

Man's world? I think not. As a woman, I have it made!

[eesquared]

There are programs (Norton comes to mind) that will do a DoD solid erase of the drive. This amounts to writing zeros in every track/sector, three times.

Personally, as a programmer, I wack the drive with a 2-3lb hammer, a couple of times.

Thanks. That sounds like it would do the trick.

[eesquared]

How ever you decide to do it works. Just as long as that hard drive is in busted up pieces you are straight. You know what the hard drive looks like right?

Yes, I do know what the hard drive looks like, and I know how to pull it from the case. I've actually got about 3 or 4 of them that need eliminating.

<using my "Mom" voice> "Oh boys...I have a chore for you..."

[Ken]

Ken, you sexist old dawg. <snickle>

Moi, Erin? sexist? my dear wife wouldn't allow it. She is the one that has the rights, and a wicked left hook to go with them.

Just so you know, I can outshoot my husband with his 44 mag....and he's a really good (rrreeeaallly good) shot. Ok, so I don't outshoot him every time, but I can hold my own. I scored in the 97th precentile on the shooting part of the CHL test with a piece that I had never shot before (I borrowed it from one of the guys in the class).

What can I say? - respect.

Here is something to consider: Once my husband and I were target practicing, using the full-size man targets. He kept telling me I was a bad shot because my shots were all hitting low. He was thinking out loud that he might need to readjust the sights. I sweetly informed him that the gun was perfectly sighted because I was hitting right where I was aiming - the groin. His response was "Oh." And then he had nothing more to say.

Man's world? I think not. As a woman, I have it made!

Ouch!

Ken.

[chiph]

Want to do something fun & dangerous? Melt your old hard drives with thermite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ckechIqW0#t=30s

You want to use the flower-pot method. The ceramic holds the hot thermite while it drips out the hole in the bottom and through the hard drive -- you can see the molten metal dripping down the side of the computer case.

Don't bother having a garden hose or fire extinguisher nearby - they won't stop the intense reaction. So be very very careful after mixing the powders up.

Chip H.

[grouch]

Ken, you sexist old dawg. <snickle>

Just so you know, I can outshoot my husband with his 44 mag....and he's a really good (rrreeeaallly good) shot. Ok, so I don't outshoot him every time, but I can hold my own. I scored in the 97th precentile on the shooting part of the CHL test with a piece that I had never shot before (I borrowed it from one of the guys in the class).

Here is something to consider: Once my husband and I were target practicing, using the full-size man targets. He kept telling me I was a bad shot because my shots were all hitting low. He was thinking out loud that he might need to readjust the sights. I sweetly informed him that the gun was perfectly sighted because I was hitting right where I was aiming - the groin. His response was "Oh." And then he had nothing more to say.

Man's world? I think not. As a woman, I have it made!

My first shooting lesson was by my grand mother. She was all of 4'11 or so and would sit watching the news about floods and worrying about the people having enough to eat and warm clothes while she was knitting. She also is the one that taught me to get my first shot off quick to discomfit the other guy long enough to take my time with the second. Also to aim for the center of the triangle of the shoulders and groin area. When she was growing up in rural Kentucky in the 90's (1890's) you have to deal with your own problems. You didn't see the Sherriff unless he was running for re-election or you missed your mortgage payments.

Personally I prefer my Colt .45 revolver. Slower muzzle velocity than the ACP but dead on accurate. I missed the first time I shot it. Not once since. One weapon I've seen and held and just sticks with me is the S&W 500. I don't know what I'd do with it, and I'd be afraid to fire it. There's just something about it that gets the testosterone pumping. It's also the first pistol I've ever seen with a muzzle brake.

[chiph]

One weapon I've seen and held and just sticks with me is the S&W 500. I don't know what I'd do with it, and I'd be afraid to fire it. There's just something about it that gets the testosterone pumping. It's also the first pistol I've ever seen with a muzzle brake.

A friend has the Performance Center version (with the 10.5" barrel).

The "light" 300gr bullets are enough to make your hand tingle. The "stout" 400+ gr bullets make you wish you hadn't pulled the trigger.

It makes a good brown bear gun.

Chip H.

[eesquared]

My first shooting lesson was by my grand mother. She was all of 4'11 or so and would sit watching the news about floods and worrying about the people having enough to eat and warm clothes while she was knitting. She also is the one that taught me to get my first shot off quick to discomfit the other guy long enough to take my time with the second. Also to aim for the center of the triangle of the shoulders and groin area. When she was growing up in rural Kentucky in the 90's (1890's) you have to deal with your own problems. You didn't see the Sherriff unless he was running for re-election or you missed your mortgage payments.

Personally I prefer my Colt .45 revolver. Slower muzzle velocity than the ACP but dead on accurate. I missed the first time I shot it. Not once since. One weapon I've seen and held and just sticks with me is the S&W 500. I don't know what I'd do with it, and I'd be afraid to fire it. There's just something about it that gets the testosterone pumping. It's also the first pistol I've ever seen with a muzzle brake.

I would have liked your grandmother.

[eesquared]

Ken, you sexist old dawg. <snickle>

Moi, Erin? sexist? my dear wife wouldn't allow it. She is the one that has the rights, and a wicked left hook to go with them.

Just so you know, I can outshoot my husband with his 44 mag....and he's a really good (rrreeeaallly good) shot. Ok, so I don't outshoot him every time, but I can hold my own. I scored in the 97th precentile on the shooting part of the CHL test with a piece that I had never shot before (I borrowed it from one of the guys in the class).

What can I say? - respect.

Here is something to consider: Once my husband and I were target practicing, using the full-size man targets. He kept telling me I was a bad shot because my shots were all hitting low. He was thinking out loud that he might need to readjust the sights. I sweetly informed him that the gun was perfectly sighted because I was hitting right where I was aiming - the groin. His response was "Oh." And then he had nothing more to say.

Man's world? I think not. As a woman, I have it made!

Ouch!

Ken.

I'm just teasing you. After I posted that, I though that maybe you were saying what is obviously true: A man would think of destroying the hard drive with lead, whereas a woman .....
asks for suggestions on how to destroy it.

Is est quis is est ~

[grouch]

I would have liked your grandmother.

Grandma also had a wicked wooden spoon. I was over a foot taller then her but if I got out of line, that spoon would whack my head and sound like a watermelon beiing dropped.

[eesquared]

Grandma also had a wicked wooden spoon. I was over a foot taller then her but if I got out of line, that spoon would whack my head and sound like a watermelon beiing dropped.

My brother-in-law came from a big Catholic family of 7 kids. His mom had the wooden spoon thing going on, too. All the kids say they can remember sitting in mass an their mom reaching down the row with that spoon to whack them if they misbehaved. Love it!