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How to Remove Hard Drive From Computer Before Recycling

How to remove hard drive from computer before recycling. This is a step by step guide on how to safely remove the hard drive from your laptop or desktop before recycling the rest of it.

If used correctly, the data can be restored at any time using a data recovery software. That being said, there are some commonly used methods that could be used to recover some of the deleted data. If you believe you have discovered lost or deleted files, you can utilize a data recovery program such as Ufiles. This is a popular data recovery software that is completely free. Once downloaded and installed on your computer, you can perform a variety of data recovery operations. The software can be used for both Windows and Macintosh computers.

hard drive recycling

Once the data is easier to recover, you can import the files back into your computer, clean the hard drive and restore files at any time. How to download and use Ufiles sync software The small USB storage device is one of the smallest and cheapest ways to preserve cyber security passwords. It is easy to throw out and is made of plastic or paper. Although most uses are to use passwords on insurance policies and online banking places, it is also very useful to store and transfer passwords securely within mobile phones. Apple Pass is a good iPhone app version of the password manager. security software password manager lets you comfortably organize your passwords.

Using it enables you to seamlessly transfer your stored passwords to your phone anytime without writing them down in a plain text file. Password Protect is much more secure than other password managers. When using the application, passwords that you have stored are not available to anyone except you. As a result, you can store more passwords within your phone and never worry about losing them to hackers. how to download password protect mobile app To write down or create a secure password, it is important to think about some of its key factors. After considering such factors, the best way to secure passwords is by creating a strong mix.

To develop your own password mix, one of the most widely used online password reset software is Password Hash. After filling up the form with various authentication factors, Password Hash generates unique eight character alphanumeric passwords to secure your account. Do remember to revise these passwords regularly by simply using the same password for multiple accounts. how to use password hash online password reset software While it is true that the hard drive of a desktop computer or laptop can be easily deleted from time to time, there is still the excuse of keeping valuable files on the device.

Remove Hard Drive Before Recycling Computer

Although not strictly necessary, it is recommend to also format your hard drive with a data-wiping program. For more details, refer to this article.


Although most data can be destroyed online, not everything can be destroyed with an online shredder program. There are some small bits of deleted information that can not be deleted on an online shredder program such as emails, bookmarks, and documents (documents are usually stored in the cloud; however, you can safely shred documents that you need to burn or throw away).

You can also call a professional data destruction provider. Some of the most prominent ones are DataDestruction.com, DataDestruction (UK) Ltd, and euro-recycling.co.uk.

If you are already familiar with destroying hard drive images online, or you have destroyed hard drive images online before, you should not have additional instructions to follow. If your destroyed hard drive is an SDD, you can do it the same as wiping your hard drive.

If your hard drive contains personal photos, videos, audio, or documents, you will be able to download and use them again after shredding your computer. Because of the connection on the internet, not all of the information on your hard drive will be deleted, however, you will be able to recover it using the online shredder program.

On a home desktop computer or laptop hard drive, open the Control Panel, or find it in Start, typing control panel.


On the Control Panel, click on Advanced System Settings.

Here you will find additional information about your hard drives (time remaining, disk usage, number of open programs, storage space, operating system details). Select the Delete option under the Storage tab.

After the hard drive is completely deleted, double-click on the E-Waste icon, located in the lower left corner of the Control panel. This icon is shown in the screenshot below.

At the E-Waste page, select the Delete button on the top right side of the screen. Here are a few additional steps to complete the delete process:


If you do not see the E-Waste icon in the upper button corner of the Control Panel, click on the More icons link.


Now, select the Delete icon, which is shown in the lower left corner and click on the button.
At the Delete E-Waste page, select the Proceed button to proceed with the process.
On the next page, ensure that both of the following checked boxes:
Note: The below screenshot is an approximation, and the process might take some time.
 

hard drive recycling

claims that wipe can erase data have been circulating on the internet, and only a small percentage of hard drives can actually be completely erased by a data wipe. Only if your hard drive is completely wiped should you consider completely destroying it.

Not only should you download the “free” Erase tool from the Digital Eraser website, but you should also pay a small fee for not a lot of hard drive space (with credits/dollars purchased from merchants on Amazon or other places often being offered as “free” or “low cost.”).

For added security, click here to learn how to secure your hard drive, and click here to download FastItNuke.


Unfortunately, most modern digital devices are connected to the internet, and even if your email password is “strong,” it is possible for a hacker to guess this information or at least identify your email address. If you have not changed your password recently, you should definitely do so now.


The best way to do this is by setting up two-factor authentication. This security method involves logging into your online account via an additional means of authentication, such as a phone number, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) number, or personal code sent via email. It should only take about 30–60 minutes to implement.


For added security, you can also choose to use a hardware token that is permanently stored on your computer and activated only when the password is updated. Bluetooth Smart (BLE) or Near Field Communication ( NFC ) enabled devices are the best choice because they cannot be tricked by a hacker using your smartphone as a receiver and therefore cannot be misused to help a hacker manage your password.


Fortunately, many of these devices can also be used even without a password, you just need to insert a thumb drive, an external hard drive, or some other storage medium into the computer just before powering up. For added security, connect your mobile device to the computer via Bluetooth or a USB Flash Drives.


Make sure to always use the latest version of your operating system, followed by all updates, to prevent any possible brick. If it is not possible to wipe the hard drive of your device via a USB flash drive, you can use a program called Erase by Limiting, or for Windows users, WinRAR. One USB flash drive has enough space to store a few files required to completely delete the hard drive.


To get started wipe, click “More info” and then “Erase.” Choose the “Erase your computer” option and proceed with the information required to complete the desired actions.