Trashing a CPU, how?

[pleasteasme]

I want to be rid of my OLD CPU but, want to take any type of pieces out that store memory before I do so. What exactly do I take out to make it a totally annonymous CPU?

Also, I have a functioning monitor - what should I do with it? It is a huge clunky one that came with my old computer ('96 Gateway). Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[past_perfect]

I want to be rid of my OLD CPU but, want to take any type of pieces out that store memory before I do so. What exactly do I take out to make it a totally annonymous CPU?

Also, I have a functioning monitor - what should I do with it? It is a huge clunky one that came with my old computer ('96 Gateway). Any ideas?

Thanks

I hope I understand you correctly: You want to trash your old system and be sure that none of your previous personal data can be found?

If so, you could create a boot floppy disk (see this HT depending on your operating system):

http://www.xmission.com/~comphope/boot.htm

use the floppy to start your system in DOS, and then format the HDD(s). Assuming you just have one, you would have to type in:

Format c:

If there are more, you have to repeat the process with the respective drive letters.

Alternatively, you can take it out of the system, unscrew the cover and go a little mental with whatever tools you have at your disposal. That's infinitely more fun than the first version and has the same results.

As to your monitor question, hm... you could keep it as a safety backup when your new one fails or dispose of it the same way you would do with a TV set.

Hope this helps

 

[CopyCarver]

I want to be rid of my OLD CPU but, want to take any type of pieces out that store memory before I do so. What exactly do I take out to make it a totally annonymous CPU?

Also, I have a functioning monitor - what should I do with it? It is a huge clunky one that came with my old computer ('96 Gateway). Any ideas?

Thanks

Focus on the hard drive--it's where the "incriminating evidence" lies. The rest of the computer is essentially just electronic components.

There is software which "wipes" the hard drive--to a degree. Many computer technicians will also do this for a fee. The results aren't perfect, but they'll stop anyone less than James Bond from reading the remaining "footprints."

If you want greater (albeit not perfect) security, or if you'd rather not spend the money for techs and/or software, just physically trash the hard drive and give away/throw away the rest of the system. There are numerous ways to terminate a hard drive "with extreme prejudice" -- a roaring fire in your fireplace or incinerator, letting it soak in a bucket of acid, paying the dude at a wrecking yard to toss it into the car crusher, etc. If all else fails, just find an out of the way spot, bury the drive, and smooth the dirt to conceal that anything is buried there.

Functioning monitors are easy--donate them to St Vincent de Paul, Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. Most resale shops have a surplus of monitors, but they'll eventually have a customer who needs a monitor and only has $5 to spend.

 

[JustaJerk]

There had been a thread about a year ago started by someone who needed to wipe out certain personal references on her hard drive. There were legal ramifications involved. The best way to destroy data on a hard drive is to physically destroy the hard drive.

But, I'm thinking in your case, you're not worried about the coppers using any sophisicated techniques to retrieve data. Here's my 1.5 cents worth.

Use the "how-to" link that Past_Perfect provided. After you create the floppy, copy onto it the file C:\windows\command\fdisk.exe

Restart your PC with the floppy still in the disk drive. This will boot the PC to DOS, which is just a text screen. Enter the command FDISK and press enter to run that program.

If it prompts you to enable large disk support, select YES. Using the program, you can delete the partitions. These are logical drives on a phyiscal drive. Back in the old days, when we had an 80MB drive, we had to divide it into two 40MB logical drives.

The data could still be retrieved by companies like OnTrack, but it would cost about $5,000 to do it. I'm thinking you won't need to worry about it.

This leaves the entire system in a state that is physically working, but without any software or data on it. If you still have the CDs that came with it, you could re-install the operating system making it just like the day you brought it home.

When you donate it to the thrift shop, give them everything. (CDs, CPU, keyboard, mouse, monitor, manuals) They'll love having a working PC to sell.

JustaJerk

 

[Mazuri]

For drives containing classified information, the US military usually does a full reformat of the drive, opens the hard drive case, takes out the little disk inside where the info is actually stored, takes a wire brush to it to thoroughly scratch it on both sides, cuts it into pieces, then throws it into an incinerator

 

[past_perfect]

I found a program (free) that should be doing the trick.

http://www.download.com/DiskDeleter-ZW/3000-2248_4-10556608.html?tag=lst-0-1

That should make the whole process even easier.

 

[pleasteasme]

Thanks for your help.

Yes, I want to remove my personal information off of it.

 

[CopyCarver]

Thanks for your help.

Yes, I want to remove my personal information off of it.

Your best bet is probably to download a demo version and delete away. Better yet, run two different programs to trash whatever residue escaped the first barrage. You won't get everything, but garden-variety snoopers will be pounding nails into their foreheads.

 

[Weird Harold]

I want to be rid of my OLD CPU but, want to take any type of pieces out that store memory before I do so. What exactly do I take out to make it a totally annonymous CPU?

You can remove the hard-drive(s) and that will remove 99.999% of all information that is stored on your computer. The remaining 0.001% is for the possibility that you have some sort of flash memory device installed -- like a "SB Drive."

You can destroy the drive or reuse it as a second drive in your new computer.

Also, I have a functioning monitor - what should I do with it? It is a huge clunky one that came with my old computer ('96 Gateway). Any ideas?

A better choice IMHO, is to erase or wipe the disk and reinstall the basic operating system and donate the whole system to a charity or thrift store -- alng with any system restore/operating system installation disks and the documentation if you have them.

If your system came with Norton Utilities -- which I think Gateway included on systems of that age -- then you should be able to delete everything, including the operating system by formatting the disk, running the Restore Disk to return it to the original Gateway software installation, and then run Norton's Wipedisk to erase any traces of old files and information.

 

[cd1_christine]

Incorrect.

Use the "how-to" link that Past_Perfect provided. After you create the floppy, copy onto it the file C:\windows\command\fdisk.exe

Restart your PC with the floppy still in the disk drive. This will boot the PC to DOS, which is just a text screen. Enter the command FDISK and press enter to run that program.

If it prompts you to enable large disk support, select YES. Using the program, you can delete the partitions. These are logical drives on a phyiscal drive. Back in the old days, when we had an 80MB drive, we had to divide it into two 40MB logical drives.

The data could still be retrieved by companies like OnTrack, but it would cost about $5,000 to do it. I'm thinking you won't need to worry about it.

If you used this method, I could recover all data on this drive in about 1/2 hour...usually less. Contrary to popular belief, fdisking the drive does not erase any data. Everything is recoverable, and quite easily, too.

If you're just worried about nosy neighbours, you can format the drive as suggested earlier. This'll stop 99.9% of people getting anything from the drive.

If you're worried about somebody doing forensics on the drive, download a copy of Darik's Boot and Nuke. It'll erase the hard drive to DoD specifications. Meaning, it can't be recovered, with any amount of work. Period.


CD

 

[Weird Harold]

A couple of points about erasing and deleting information.

If you're just worried about nosy neighbours, you can format the drive as suggested earlier. This'll stop 99.9% of people getting anything from the drive.

A "Quidk Format" isn't much more secure than using FDISK -- both only rewrite the Tables that assign segments of the drive to a partition or file --t hey do NOT overwrite the whole surface of the drive.

To overwrite information on the drive to put it out of the reach of casual inspections, make sure you specify a "Full Format" or "Unconditional Format" which does a surface test for bad sectors and writes a uniform pattern of bits over the entire drive.

If you're worried about somebody doing forensics on the drive, download a copy of Darik's Boot and Nuke. It'll erase the hard drive to DoD specifications. Meaning, it can't be recovered, with any amount of work. Period.

A so-called DOD or "Milspec" Wipe, properly called a "Secure Erase," done with software does NOT mean data can't be recovered with any amount of work. The military doesn't "wipe" disks or drives with truly sensitive information, they SHRED them because they've found that even with the most thorough "secure erase" software, information can still be retrieved from between the tracks where software can't touch it.

Norton's WipeFile and WipeDisk are sufficient to destroy any data beyond recovery by anyone except specialty data recovery forensic services

As far as that goes, a simple batch file is sufficient to overwrite every byte of a disk:

START:
Type "You're Fucking Nosy" >> wipe.txt
Goto START

Run that batch file until you get a "disk full" message, delete the file, and repeat for ten iterations to do a "DOD level wipe" -- at least the level sufficient for up to material classified "Confidential."

 

[webber1998]

At an old job, we used to have the DOD erase, format, degaus and then destroy under their watchful eye. And there is a reason for it.

There are programs out there to clean all of the information off of your drive so that your average person can't access any of the data.

I agree with Weird Harold...

 

[AcousticProphet]

For 99.9% of us out there, Harold's batch file wipe is sufficient. If I really need to clean an old hard drive, I reformat into a new file system, say ext3 (GNU/linux), then write the disk full with straight 1s. I then reformat into a windows file system and rewrite 1s. Then I format again. I have never had a problem with this method, but then I have never had the DoD looking at my hard drive!

 

[A_Kefka]

using a blowtorch on the parts should take care of things.

 

[webber1998]

using a blowtorch on the parts should take care of things.

This is what you do when you REALLY don't want someone to snoop on your data.

 

[A_Kefka]

so maybe I'm a little paranoid about identity theft, I burn old mail too. lol

 

[chinamonty]

If you are not physically going to destroy the disk then download CCLEANER and run that. Your computer has logs and index files on it that contain the information about every website you have ever visited since you started your computer the first time. ccleaner will erase these.

 

[FastFastr]

I want to be rid of my OLD CPU but, want to take any type of pieces out that store memory before I do so. What exactly do I take out to make it a totally annonymous CPU?

Also, I have a functioning monitor - what should I do with it? It is a huge clunky one that came with my old computer ('96 Gateway). Any ideas?

Thanks

part one - you can back up, save onto disk etc... then open the unit and use a sledge hammer. Best way.

part two - check your local town/village/city for recycling info.

 

[The Lone Badger]

Level 1 security:
Boot off a floppy or CD and format the hard disk. This will stop anyone but a computer expert from recovering any data.
Level 2 security:
Make a boot disc or floppy loaded with Darik's Boot and Nuke or a similar program, and run it. This will stop anyone but the CIA from recovering any data.
Level 3 security:
Remove the hard disk from your computer, take off the cover and remove the platter. Cut it into bits and melt them into slag with a blowtorch. This will stop anyone but God from recovering any data.

 

[blueboy1957]

do the erase programs that claim to re-write data not work? I have a program that I purchased that claims to "cover my tracks" that I run everyday.

 

[elod]

Just contact some charity, or recycling organization. I bet they'll lend a hand in safely erasing your hard drive, in exchange for the computer.

I've searched google for "recycling old computers", first hit was link

 

[elod]

do the erase programs that claim to re-write data not work? I have a program that I purchased that claims to "cover my tracks" that I run everyday.

You don't have to be that paranoid. Recovering wiped (overwritten) data is extremely costy (but certainly possible to some extent) and will not be attempted, unless you're an enemy of the greatest nation on our lovely planet

 

[elod]

How does Lit' know i'm still a "virgin"?

 

[Weird Harold]

do the erase programs that claim to re-write data not work? I have a program that I purchased that claims to "cover my tracks" that I run everyday.

They work against casual inspections and even close examination with most software tools. Depending on the program you purchased, It might also be looking for the information that is stored in files rather than just left in deleted file fragments.

Most Windows programs store their "most recently used" information in the System Registry or a configuration file and those are the "tracks" programs like yours are intended to find and remove. It's a different problem than "sanitizing" a computer before donating it to Charity -- those programs don't remove things like personal information about the primary user stored in MS Word, financial/contact information stored in MS Wallet and other programs, or personal photos used as Wallpaper and screensavers.

Your computer contains more personal information than just the "tracks" left behind by surfing the Web, information you often need to use your computer, which "Track Erasing" programs don't look for and won't touch.

 

[sweetgirl666]

Take your hard drive and hold it close to a big magnet... We had one of those suckers at work to wipe out video tapes.

Alternativly, a good format (there are some neat sharewares who do a better job than windows, Norton was great about 10 years ago) will take care of any of the normal stuff. Honestly, who will go to the dumpster and try to recover data on an old harddrive?????? If it is formated that is...