How to dispose of a hard drive (recycling?)

muze7 · #1 27.06.2007, 11:24

I have a hard drive out of warranty full of bad sectors. Now I would like to get rid of it in the least environmentally harmful way. In other words, can I somehow recycle the drive, and if so, does anyone know where to go?

Thanks much!

PS. I know that I also have to write random 0/1 to the drive to get rid of my data

Blonaybear · #2 27.06.2007, 11:29

Check with your local commune. Ours has a recycle point for computers.

gbn · #3 27.06.2007, 11:45

We have recycle points as well in Kloten

You could just break the damn thing with a big hammer to make it unusable if can't erase it...

Remo · #4 27.06.2007, 11:47

Take it to Migros MElectronic and just give it to them. They have to take everything electronic even if you didn't buy it from them.

Blonaybear · #5 27.06.2007, 11:50

	Quote:	Remo
	Take it to Migros MElectronic and just give it to them. They have to take everything electronic even if you didn't buy it from them.

I though that this only applied if you had purchased the equipment in CH and paid the recycle tax. Is this not correct ?

Lob · #6 27.06.2007, 11:52

	Quote:	Blonaybear
	I though that this only applied if you had purchased the equipment in CH and paid the recycle tax. Is this not correct ?

"prove I didn't"

It does not matter. vRG is paid and supports all items being recycled for free.

Salgou4 · #7 27.06.2007, 12:54

	Quote:	gbn
	... You could just break the damn thing with a big hammer to make it unusable if can't erase it...

Nice

GDISK, with /WIPEDISK /Custom: (pick a number up to 100 depending on how long you want to wait and how sensiticve your data is) works well and some kind of physical "action" before sending to the recycling is a good idea.

ScarletBea · #8 27.06.2007, 13:34

	Quote:	gbn
	You could just break the damn thing with a big hammer to make it unusable if can't erase it...

I did this, hehehe
Then I chucked it inside the tower again, loose, closed it, and took the whole pack to my recycling point.

Lob · #9 27.06.2007, 13:43

www.ultimatebootcd.com
I cannot stress how many useful tools are on this including disk wiping tools.

muze7 · #10 27.06.2007, 22:24

Thanks everyone! I already have ultimatebootcd, I added ghost to it once, and it is great as you say, but did not know it had wiping tools! I might try all wipe programs suggested

.

But with Migros, how sure are we that they don't dispose of the stuff as waste? I mean, there are millions to be earned there right? I recall some British companies that were supposed to collect recycled waste ended up dumping it all in Africa or India and it was a big scandal.

Now perhaps the governmental control here is stronger, but still

Nathu · #11 28.06.2007, 22:26

	Quote:	muze7
	Now perhaps the governmental control here is stronger, but still

Well I guess the only way to be sure is to disguise a functioning satellite-tracked computer and to hand it over to an electronics shop as a defective PC for recycling.

Anyway, in case you're interested:

http://www.sens.ch
The recycling organisation. Claims to have 300 independent controls per year.

http://www.swico.ch
Marketing bond of the IT/communication branch. Claims that 40'000 tonnes of electronics get collected annually.