OT - disposing of zip disks

Before the advent of inexpensive cd/dvds, flash drives and usb thingies, many
of us relied on zip disks for backup. I've got several boxes of them and am
trying to figure out how to dispose of them without leaving myself open for
data mining. They've been reformatted but that's not really secure.

Any suggestions?
--
another anne, add ingers to reply

On 5/20/09 8:57 AM, "anne" wrote:

Before the advent of inexpensive cd/dvds, flash drives and usb thingies, many
of us relied on zip disks for backup. I've got several boxes of them and am
trying to figure out how to dispose of them without leaving myself open for
data mining. They've been reformatted but that's not really secure.

Any suggestions?

Hmm - like any other computer storage stuff - I'd say demagnetize them.
That should work. Or you could inquire if your county does any recycling
special stuff - they do that here, and if they do they might do the demag
thing before recycling/destruction. You might also see if there are any
local computer users groups, or if there's a local University/Comm College -
contact their compsci dept and ask. Or just get a big magnet - like one of
those toy/hobby shop big U magnets....

Ellice

ellice wrote:
On 5/20/09 8:57 AM, "anne" wrote:

Before the advent of inexpensive cd/dvds, flash drives and usb thingies, many
of us relied on zip disks for backup. I've got several boxes of them and am
trying to figure out how to dispose of them without leaving myself open for
data mining. They've been reformatted but that's not really secure.

Any suggestions?

Hmm - like any other computer storage stuff - I'd say demagnetize them.
That should work. Or you could inquire if your county does any recycling
special stuff - they do that here, and if they do they might do the demag
thing before recycling/destruction. You might also see if there are any
local computer users groups, or if there's a local University/Comm College -
contact their compsci dept and ask. Or just get a big magnet - like one of
those toy/hobby shop big U magnets....

Ellice


My disposal technique for hard disks involves a concrete floor and a
large, heavy hammer.
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK
http://claremont.islandblogging.co.uk

Any time I get a new computer or want to get rid of anything with data
on it, I physically destroy the item. With an old computer I remove
the hard drive, beat hell out of it with a hammer on the driveway, and
then squirt Super Glue into it -- every hole, every nook and cranny.
With old disks and CDs I break them into pieces with a hammer, and
then put half in the trash one week and half the next week. Several
years ago a friend who is a computer engineer told me that is a secure
way to avoid anybody going after data successfully. She said that
erasing and reformatting can actually be undone, and that some very
high-level law enforcement labs can do it. We never talked about the
magnet technique.

"anne" wrote
Before the advent of inexpensive cd/dvds, flash drives and usb thingies,
many
of us relied on zip disks for backup. I've got several boxes of them and
am
trying to figure out how to dispose of them without leaving myself open
for
data mining. They've been reformatted but that's not really secure.

Any suggestions?
On a complete tangent, I saw pictures yesterday of someone who had used old
hard discs to make a "scrapbook". She covered the disks with patterned
paper, glued on pictures and text bits, then drilled holes in the corners of
the discs and strung them on a piece of ball chain. A really dedicated
recycler.

Dawne

says...
A hammer.

hmmmmmm... instead of a byob (bring your own bottle) party, I should hold a
byoh (bring your own hammer) one. T'would be a great way to vent one's
frustrations

--
another anne, add ingers to reply

says...
On a complete tangent, I saw pictures yesterday of someone who had used old
hard discs to make a "scrapbook". She covered the disks with patterned
paper, glued on pictures and text bits, then drilled holes in the corners of
the discs and strung them on a piece of ball chain. A really dedicated
recycler.

I've used CD's for pinkeeps and heads
--
another anne, add ingers to reply

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 May 2009 08:48:49 -0400, anne wrote:

says...
A hammer.

hmmmmmm... instead of a byob (bring your own bottle) party, I should hold
a
byoh (bring your own hammer) one. T'would be a great way to vent one's
frustrations

Ask me - I feel like hammering something at the moment !


Now What?????

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 May 2009 09:46:21 -0400, "lucille"
wrote:


wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 23 May 2009 08:48:49 -0400, anne wrote:

says...
A hammer.

hmmmmmm... instead of a byob (bring your own bottle) party, I should
hold
a
byoh (bring your own hammer) one. T'would be a great way to vent one's
frustrations

Ask me - I feel like hammering something at the moment !


Now What?????

Aayeee - you make it sound like I am always complaining, maybe I am
lol


No--I was thinking in terms of appliance breakdowns, ****ty weather and
general qvetches and groans that come with being "older."

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 May 2009 10:04:56 -0400, "lucille"
wrote:

Ask me - I feel like hammering something at the moment !


Now What?????

Aayeee - you make it sound like I am always complaining, maybe I am
lol


No--I was thinking in terms of appliance breakdowns, ****ty weather and
general qvetches and groans that come with being "older."

OK - well it is a perfectly beautiful day today weatherwise and I hope
it is the same for Marg W and people further west. Touch wood, all
appliances behaving themselves lol

it's about time you got good weather. Now ours is dreadful with pouring,
noisy rainstorms and generally crummy.

I'm glad to hear that your appliances finally learned their lesson and are
treating you well. Every so often they need to be put in their place.

L