getting rid of old computer?

I googled how to do this, and there was a lot about deleting and wiping files. I would not be able to do that now, without having to move a very heavy machine to my own place, as all the wifi has been disconnected there, so wouldn't really be able to do that.

We've removed the hard drive and smashed it to bits with both laptop and desktop computers.

Agree - remove the hard drive and destroy it (I was advised to drill holes in it).

Thank you. Now I have to find the hard drive!

Or just reset to factory settings and donate to Age Concern.

Thank you for that as well.

Oh I ve never destroyed one just delete info and give to a charity they are sought after for Africa and other charity’s
He will have no bank details that are relevant on there so why would you smash up when other could use it

That sounds good, Yes, I would love to pass it on to a charity. I will look further into this.
Thank you,

Just deleting info isn't enough, you need to know how to wipe the hard drive. Otherwise there's a possibility of someone attempting identity theft or finding information about other people, etc.

My son in law is a computer security expert, and when I asked him how to dispose of my old PC, he took a hammer to the hard drive and then we took the whole lot to the recycling centre, where they can recover some of the metals etc.

I doubt whether an old PC would be much use in Africa etc anyway. It will be heavy to transport and clumsy and slow to use.

www.ecosia.org/images?q=picture+of+a+hard+drive+in+a+computer

If you take a big hammer to it you'd better wear safety goggles.

yup I go with remove the hard drive and smash with a hammer

My bro in law who does a lot of computer repairs etc said you must destroy the hard drive when disposing of old ones.
If you want to give the machine to someone they can always buy a new hard drive, if it's worth keeping.

The ones I destroyed were not working

Definitely destroy the hard drive, smash it to bits, drill holes in it, whatever you can do. Deleting files, factory reset etc is not enough. There will still be traces of data there for a tech savvy criminal to find. Not worth the risk.

OK, so his bank accounts etc are closed, but you have no idea how much personal information may be on there - there could even be access to emails etc, with other people's personal info and so on. By leaving it, your father's personal identity could be stolen, which could then potentially facilitate criminal activity.

Thank you everyone for all the very helpful information.

My clearout is continuing. I advertised three items lying around in the garage on Facebook Marketplace and have already sold one for £10. I have hopes that someone will take the old cot mattress (free) as a dog bed, so I won't have to take it to the tip.

Sorry, wrong thread! This should have gone on the decluttering thread.

If your old computer is still working, donating, recycling, or selling it can be a better option than simply throwing it away. Many older desktops and laptops still have value for refurbishment, parts, or reuse. Before disposing of your device, it may be worth exploring options at webuybackelectronics.com/ to see whether your unwanted electronics can be given a second life.

Just remove the harddrive and drill a hole through it. Open the case and you will see a large metal box the size of two decks of playing cards. Unplug the gray ribbon cable and the thin plastic power cable and you should be able to slide the harddrive out. Now you can donate the computer. The new owner will buy a new harddrive. It would be nice if you put a note on it saying, "No hard drive".

Hit the removed harddrive with a hammer or drill a hole through it before you throw it in the bin and no one can retrieve the data. The harddruve contains about eight spinning plates like a CD so if they cant spin, it wont work.

I would imagine the old computer is well dead and buried.
the op is 7 years old

Get it wiped first

Yes husband ‘it guy’ smash with a hammer.