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Author Topic: Hard drive failure  (Read 288 times)

Offline SmallTownGirl

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Hard drive failure
« on: Monday 01 December 25 11:53 GMT (UK) »
Last Thursday the hard drive on my Dell laptop failed.  I've bought a new laptop and copied the files from the back-ups onto the hard drive, so all, except 2-3 days work has been recovered.

However, now I don't know what to do with the Dell.  Previously when I've replaced laptops I've put the old one back to factory settings and given it away, but as I can't do that with this one, I don't know quite how to dispose of it. 

I've had a quick Google, but can't see anywhere locally that I could drop it off for them to dispose of it, and anyway, even though the data that's on it is inaccessible to me, it might be accessible to someone else.  If we took the back off and removed the hard drive and battery, could the casing go in the dustbin? And could we break up the hard drive into pieces and put those in the dustbin, and take the battery to a battery recycling spot?

Would that work?  Sorry I'm clueless about this.

Thanks
STG


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Offline RJ_Paton

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Re: Hard drive failure
« Reply #1 on: Monday 01 December 25 12:10 GMT (UK) »
The hard drive is the information store for your computer so destroying that will ensure no data escapes - a big hammer and a pair of safety glasses is very therapeutic.

I would not recommend putting the main body of the computer in the bin - put it away for recycling (try local council) or sell it for spares or just donate it.

Offline Zaphod99

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Re: Hard drive failure
« Reply #2 on: Monday 01 December 25 13:45 GMT (UK) »
Some libraries have small item recycling facilities.

For the future, find some software that allows you to back up your important folders each night.  I use Aomei.

Zaph

Offline dublin1850

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Re: Hard drive failure
« Reply #3 on: Monday 01 December 25 15:36 GMT (UK) »
If you have any relatives studying cyber security or really anything to do with computers, you could see can they use it to put a hard drive in and install Linux on it.
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Offline Milliepede

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Re: Hard drive failure
« Reply #4 on: Monday 01 December 25 15:49 GMT (UK) »
Deleted wrong place sorry
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Offline tommy-tipper

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Re: Hard drive failure
« Reply #5 on: Monday 01 December 25 16:52 GMT (UK) »
Ive just had a dell laptop hard drive failure,take the drive out in mine its a small ssid chip the size of a large sd card or the normal size hard drive and the next owner will just install new drive

Offline SmallTownGirl

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Re: Hard drive failure
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 02 December 25 14:15 GMT (UK) »
Thanks everyone.  Have a clearer idea of what to do (and what not to do) now.

Thanks again
STG
Always looking for GOODWINS in Berkshire :)
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