- Mar 31, 2008
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Due to some time restraints, this week's tidbit is a short one. I'm also having a hard time picking out topics, so if there's something you'd like to know more about, just post it here or send me a note.
There are a lot of toxic metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic in your electronic components so you can't just drop them in the garbage. That's illegal in many places. You can't just drop it in recycling bin either (you DO recycle, don't you?).
If you're in the US, check this page for organizations that can take your junk.
Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronic Products? | eCycling | US EPA
In some cases, you can box up your stuff and take it to certain electronic stores and they will dispose of it for you for a few dollars.
Before junking those old cell phones, you'll want to restore them to factory default settings so your contacts, call logs, text messages and email aren't available. Check the documentation for your model on how to do so.
Before you toss the laptop or desktop you're going to want to destroy that hard drive. If the computer doesn't work, you're best bet is to take the drive out, open it up, and find a safe way to smash the platters. I urge using eye protection and heavy clothing and watch out for small, sharp pieces.
If the computer still works (powers on) and you want to donate it, you'll need to destroy the data on the disk drive. Formatting the computer isn't enough. Formatting the drive preps the disk so the drive controller can recognize the file system. Most format utilities that the average user will use will only mark the disk space as available for use and doesn't actually overwrite the data. That means it's possible (and not really that difficult) to recover much of the data that was on the disk. Even if you use a restore CD to return the system to factory default, it's not guaranteed (and probably not very likely) to write the new operating system files over the old ones.
To properly wipe the disk, you'll want to use a utility that will overwrite the entire disk several times. Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) is one popular program that is free to use. Wiping the disk makes it exponentially more difficult to retrieve any data. It may still be possible, but it may take some resources that aren't available to the general population.
If there is no organization nearby who will take your junk, and the municipality isn't equipped to pick it up, you can ask the friendly, tireless, dedicated IT people at your employer how they dispose of corporate e-waste. If they are like me, for the price of a doughnut or two, they will accept your personal junk and throw it in with the rest of the e-waste for your convenience.
That's all I have for now, so next week I'm thinking of doing a lesson on what to look for when buying a new computer, but I imagine that will be quite extensive.
There are a lot of toxic metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic in your electronic components so you can't just drop them in the garbage. That's illegal in many places. You can't just drop it in recycling bin either (you DO recycle, don't you?).
If you're in the US, check this page for organizations that can take your junk.
Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronic Products? | eCycling | US EPA
In some cases, you can box up your stuff and take it to certain electronic stores and they will dispose of it for you for a few dollars.
Before junking those old cell phones, you'll want to restore them to factory default settings so your contacts, call logs, text messages and email aren't available. Check the documentation for your model on how to do so.
Before you toss the laptop or desktop you're going to want to destroy that hard drive. If the computer doesn't work, you're best bet is to take the drive out, open it up, and find a safe way to smash the platters. I urge using eye protection and heavy clothing and watch out for small, sharp pieces.
If the computer still works (powers on) and you want to donate it, you'll need to destroy the data on the disk drive. Formatting the computer isn't enough. Formatting the drive preps the disk so the drive controller can recognize the file system. Most format utilities that the average user will use will only mark the disk space as available for use and doesn't actually overwrite the data. That means it's possible (and not really that difficult) to recover much of the data that was on the disk. Even if you use a restore CD to return the system to factory default, it's not guaranteed (and probably not very likely) to write the new operating system files over the old ones.
To properly wipe the disk, you'll want to use a utility that will overwrite the entire disk several times. Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) is one popular program that is free to use. Wiping the disk makes it exponentially more difficult to retrieve any data. It may still be possible, but it may take some resources that aren't available to the general population.
If there is no organization nearby who will take your junk, and the municipality isn't equipped to pick it up, you can ask the friendly, tireless, dedicated IT people at your employer how they dispose of corporate e-waste. If they are like me, for the price of a doughnut or two, they will accept your personal junk and throw it in with the rest of the e-waste for your convenience.
That's all I have for now, so next week I'm thinking of doing a lesson on what to look for when buying a new computer, but I imagine that will be quite extensive.
