OT OT how to destroy

I need to destroy a computer. It's not that I'm angry or anything. I just
need it destroyed to ashes.
There's nothing on it that would be particularly useful to the law
enforcement drones - just stuff that's personal and I don't want to share.
Do I take a screwdriver and axe, disembody it and set the whole
thing on fire?
Years ago, a friend of DD's took one out to the police dept's firing
range and let them have a go at it. (That computer was a contrary mean
cruel worthless ornery ... well, you get the picture ... and it gave him a
lot of pleasure to have it shot through.)
I don't need that level of killing; just want to know a 'safe' way to
obliterate everything on this one and make it gone, gone, gone. Polly

On Sun, 05 Sep 2010 22:49:51 -0500, Polly Esther wrote:

I need to destroy a computer. It's not that I'm angry or anything. I
just need it destroyed to ashes.
There's nothing on it that would be particularly useful to the law
enforcement drones - just stuff that's personal and I don't want to
share.
Do I take a screwdriver and axe, disembody it and set the whole
thing on fire?
Years ago, a friend of DD's took one out to the police dept's
firing
range and let them have a go at it. (That computer was a contrary mean
cruel worthless ornery ... well, you get the picture ... and it gave
him a lot of pleasure to have it shot through.)
I don't need that level of killing; just want to know a 'safe' way
to
obliterate everything on this one and make it gone, gone, gone. Polly

Tell me which Windows version please?

NightMist



--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?

Dunno, NM. Whatever came before Vista I guess. Polly

"NightMist" on this one and make it gone, gone, gone. Polly

Tell me which Windows version please?

NightMist



--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?

On Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:28:05 -0500, Polly Esther wrote:

Dunno, NM. Whatever came before Vista I guess. Polly



Assuming it is XP, go to the system recovery menu and reformat C:.

Alternatively, you may need to click the start button, go to my computer,
right click "c: drive", select format, and proceed from there.

After that you can install any software from anywhere and it will
overwrite the memory making it nearly impossible to recover anything.
I suggest trying to install linux over whatever is left of your system.
That will scramble the artifacts beyond all hope. The installation does
not have to succeed, just write a lot of stuff into the memory.

Another alternative is to reformat, then stick an old speaker magnet into
the case. Just lay it right on top of the hard drive. A big magnet will
trash it better than almost anything else.

There is software out there that will do much the same thing. Can't
bring titles to mind at the mo, but if you want them I can do brain
surgery on myself until I remember.

NightMist



--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?

You don't need to kill the whole computer. Assuming it is a desktop (not a
laptop) - just take the cover off and pull out the hard drive, put the cover
back on and contact your local recycling center to find out what to do with
it.

Then take a hammer to the hard drive. (Put it in a zip loc back -- so the
pieces don't fly all over the place.

The data is on the hard drive. The other stuff would not have data on it.

Happy smashing!

--
Kate in MI
http://community.webshots.com/user/K_Groves



"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I need to destroy a computer. It's not that I'm angry or anything. I just
need it destroyed to ashes.
There's nothing on it that would be particularly useful to the law
enforcement drones - just stuff that's personal and I don't want to share.
Do I take a screwdriver and axe, disembody it and set the whole
thing on fire?
Years ago, a friend of DD's took one out to the police dept's
firing range and let them have a go at it. (That computer was a contrary
mean cruel worthless ornery ... well, you get the picture ... and it gave
him a lot of pleasure to have it shot through.)
I don't need that level of killing; just want to know a 'safe' way to
obliterate everything on this one and make it gone, gone, gone. Polly

You underestimate how clueless I am but I like the way you think. What does
the hard drive look like? Polly

"Kate in MI"
You don't need to kill the whole computer. Assuming it is a desktop (not
a laptop) - just take the cover off and pull out the hard drive, put the
cover back on and contact your local recycling center to find out what to
do with it.

Then take a hammer to the hard drive. (Put it in a zip loc back -- so
the pieces don't fly all over the place.

The data is on the hard drive. The other stuff would not have data on it.

Happy smashing!

--
Kate in MI
http://community.webshots.com/user/K_Groves



"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I need to destroy a computer. It's not that I'm angry or anything. I
just need it destroyed to ashes.
There's nothing on it that would be particularly useful to the law
enforcement drones - just stuff that's personal and I don't want to
share.
Do I take a screwdriver and axe, disembody it and set the whole
thing on fire?
Years ago, a friend of DD's took one out to the police dept's
firing range and let them have a go at it. (That computer was a contrary
mean cruel worthless ornery ... well, you get the picture ... and it
gave him a lot of pleasure to have it shot through.)
I don't need that level of killing; just want to know a 'safe' way to
obliterate everything on this one and make it gone, gone, gone. Polly

Switch it off at the mains.

Get a screwdriver and unbolt any screws you find on the back and sides
of the main case.

Take of the main case: it usually gives up to a hefty shove, pull and
slide motion.

Look inside, near the front and look for a rectangular metal box, or
two sheets of metal enclosing a cylindrical thing, like an undersized
CD, but up to an inch thick.

It will be attached with more screws and a few pluggy things (flat
with lots of holes, like a miniature bar of chocolate) usually its
got a fat wire looking like unstretchy elastic attached.

Haul that out and destroy. That was the hard drive. Your machine is
now brain dead. Check if it has a donor card and dispose of its
innards to the charity of your choice. They will make good use of it.

Ours go to the boffins at the local university, who patch them up,
insert new hard drives and so on and ship them out to Africa, India
and other places who need them. They enjoy the challenge. It keeps
them off the streets and the computers get a new home. Win:win.

Does that help?

Nel
(GQ) who has disembowelled more of these than is strictly healthy!

i have a dell desktop tower and there are no screws, just two big buttons,
push both at the same time and lift.
j.

"Sartorresartus" wrote in message
...
Switch it off at the mains.

Get a screwdriver and unbolt any screws you find on the back and sides
of the main case.

Take of the main case: it usually gives up to a hefty shove, pull and
slide motion.

Look inside, near the front and look for a rectangular metal box, or
two sheets of metal enclosing a cylindrical thing, like an undersized
CD, but up to an inch thick.

It will be attached with more screws and a few pluggy things (flat
with lots of holes, like a miniature bar of chocolate) usually its
got a fat wire looking like unstretchy elastic attached.

Haul that out and destroy. That was the hard drive. Your machine is
now brain dead. Check if it has a donor card and dispose of its
innards to the charity of your choice. They will make good use of it.

Ours go to the boffins at the local university, who patch them up,
insert new hard drives and so on and ship them out to Africa, India
and other places who need them. They enjoy the challenge. It keeps
them off the streets and the computers get a new home. Win:win.

Does that help?

Nel
(GQ) who has disembowelled more of these than is strictly healthy!

Kate is right you only need to remove the harddrive with all the data on it.
what is wrong with the computer by the way?
most things can be fixed easier than you'd imagine and reused. yes even by
you, Polly.
it is not rocket science regardless of what some silly geek might tell you.
take a piece out, put a new piece in. easy peasey, really it is. just gotta
be gentle when doing it.

but anyhow....
did it come with a manual?
that should show/tell you how to open the case and show you all the innards
and what is what.
no manual?
then try a google search thru images to find you computer. once you know
that, you can google for pix of the innards.
or you can tell us what brand it is and we can do it for you.
getting into towers is not hard. mine is a dell and has two big buttons you
push and the thing opens on a hinge to get inside and see all that is there.
so what computer is it?
approx year you bought it?
sounds like you are running WIN XP.
j.

"Polly Esther" wrote ...
You underestimate how clueless I am but I like the way you think. What does
the hard drive look like? Polly

"Kate in MI"
You don't need to kill the whole computer. Assuming it is a desktop (not
a laptop) - just take the cover off and pull out the hard drive, put the
cover back on and contact your local recycling center to find out what to
do with it.

Then take a hammer to the hard drive. (Put it in a zip loc back -- so
the pieces don't fly all over the place.

The data is on the hard drive. The other stuff would not have data on it.
Happy smashing!
--
Kate in MI
http://community.webshots.com/user/K_Groves


"Polly Esther" wrote...
I need to destroy a computer. It's not that I'm angry or anything. I
just need it destroyed to ashes.
There's nothing on it that would be particularly useful to the law
enforcement drones - just stuff that's personal and I don't want to
share.
Do I take a screwdriver and axe, disembody it and set the whole
thing on fire?
Years ago, a friend of DD's took one out to the police dept's
firing range and let them have a go at it. (That computer was a contrary
mean cruel worthless ornery ... well, you get the picture ... and it
gave him a lot of pleasure to have it shot through.)
I don't need that level of killing; just want to know a 'safe' way to
obliterate everything on this one and make it gone, gone, gone. Polly

When I wanted a computer GONE, I removed the hard drive, beat hell out
of it with a hammer, and then squirted Super Glue into every hole and
crack. The other pieces I simply threw away.