Join for free
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
Lindyloo's Avatar
Lindyloo
Senior Member
Lindyloo is offline
isle of wight
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,350
Lindyloo is female  Lindyloo has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 08:59 AM
1

Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

I have a pretty old desktop computer with an Acer screen and need to decide if I keep it or not.

When I transferred to a laptop some years ago, I transferred some files over and frankly can't remember what else there is on the desktop that I'd want to keep.

Current situation with the desktop is that it starts up ok with Windows XP - asks for my password which it accepts, then the screen goes blank.

No idea what to do with it, but if I decide to scrap it, how can I ensure that no one can get any information off it?
Meg's Avatar
Meg
Supervisor
Meg is offline
Worcestershire
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 42,850
Meg is female  Meg has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 09:09 AM
2

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

Hi Lindy you can 'wipe' the hard drive of old computers but I reduce mine to bits and take the bits to the tip in separate batches. It is quite a hard job reducing a computer to bits and gloves and goggles are a must
Lindyloo's Avatar
Lindyloo
Senior Member
Lindyloo is offline
isle of wight
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,350
Lindyloo is female  Lindyloo has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 09:13 AM
3

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

Thanks Meg. Must say that sounds pretty advanced! I had a go at pressing all the buttons on the screen to see if anything occurred.......nothing. Now I've just rebooted the computer and still the screen is black! None of the buttons are having any affect..........drat!
keezoy
Senior Member
keezoy is offline
Australia
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 3,579
keezoy is male  keezoy has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 09:13 AM
4

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

Time to go I think.
Lindyloo's Avatar
Lindyloo
Senior Member
Lindyloo is offline
isle of wight
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,350
Lindyloo is female  Lindyloo has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 09:37 AM
5

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

Originally Posted by keezoy ->
Time to go I think.
I think you're right............I'll have to make an appointment to visit to tip!
Lindyloo's Avatar
Lindyloo
Senior Member
Lindyloo is offline
isle of wight
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,350
Lindyloo is female  Lindyloo has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 09:49 AM
6

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

I'm now looking through some of the files I saved from the desktop and want to use on either W8 or W10. I used a programme called WRITE on my windows XP desktop - any idea which programme in will open those?

Also - how about old zip discs? throw?
Jazzi's Avatar
Jazzi
Chatterbox
Jazzi is offline
Lowestoft
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 21,051
Jazzi is female  Jazzi has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 10:05 AM
7

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

I cannibalise old PCs and take out the drives. However this has back fired on me with my last one as the drive bay I bought seems not to accept the drive and goes on and off! I have a password protected file on that and can’t get to it. I still have the tower and a monitor so one day might try and get it together again. If I still have the screws, lol.
mart's Avatar
mart
Chatterbox
mart is offline
South of England
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,151
mart is male  mart has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 10:17 AM
8

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

If it's got XP on, it must be fairly old. It's easy to remove the hard drive and either keep it to rescue data off or physically destroy it. You should do that before dumping. Only a screwdriver and hammer are needed.

I haven't heard of 'WRITE' but if you can get the files you want to keep onto the Desktop, copy them to a USB stick or drive.

Originally Posted by Jazzi ->
I cannibalise old PCs and take out the drives. However this has back fired on me with my last one as the drive bay I bought seems not to accept the drive and goes on and off! I have a password protected file on that and can’t get to it. I still have the tower and a monitor so one day might try and get it together again. If I still have the screws, lol.
I do the same. One day I'm going to see if I can get a suitable USB caddy to put the drives in and see what's on them. That should be a trip down memory lane. Other computer parts are tucked away here and there. I think they should all be dumped really.
OldGreyFox's Avatar
OldGreyFox
Chatterbox
OldGreyFox is offline
South Yorkshire
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 21,202
OldGreyFox is male  OldGreyFox has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 10:19 AM
9

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

If you decide to condemn it to the dump Lindy, you only need to remove or destroy the hard disc where all your stuff is stored, all the rest are just micro circuits and components. The disc out of my last deceased computer is nailed to the shed wall....
Lindyloo's Avatar
Lindyloo
Senior Member
Lindyloo is offline
isle of wight
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,350
Lindyloo is female  Lindyloo has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
04-07-2020, 10:22 AM
10

Re: Desktop Computer - keep or throw?

Thanks everyone - I'll get busy with a screwdriver and sledgehammer!
 
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >

Thread Tools


© Copyright 2009, Over50sForum   Contact Us | Over 50s Forum! | Archive | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Top

Powered by vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.