to ask here what you do with an old laptop that won't turn on to wipe?

[cofingalthetime]

Just that really. I have googled it, but it says you should 'restore factory settings' before disposing of old tech. Similarly with phones - have a load of old phones and don't know what to do with them. TIA

I normally put them in a drawer, to be dealt out later

I took the hard drive out, following instructions online, then took a hammer to it, then threw it out at the local tip.

I typically copy brighteyes; then when I get to clearing out, I get DH to remove the hard drive , and then put that bit back in the drawer.
However, you could take it to a specialist shop and see if they can clean it up for you, I am just never comfortable that they really have.

Smashing it up is a pretty safe bet

Smash the shit out of it.

Just smashing the laptop probably won't be enough.
You can remove the hard drive and connect it to another PC if there is something you may want to keep (you can buy USB devices to allow for this) or you can destroy it.
Standard hard drives have actual disks that contain the data that you can remove and scratch, smash, shred or run a magnet over (or all of the above).

Remove hard drive and smash with hammer.

I have about 10 old laptops that are like this! Taking the hard drive out is the way, but I’m thinking of other methods to mass sort; perhaps drowning them in water for 24hrs or using a large magnet Breaking Bad style.

Just trying to avoid having to remove all the hard drives but not sure if either method above is feasible. Need to look into it more as the old tech is like a useless yoke at this stage.

I smash the hard drive too. Or just keep it and put it in an external enclosure.

Take out the hard drive, either nicely with a screw driver, or something more persuasive.

Should look something like this

Destroy it - Nail through the main disc section. Or put in a external caddy as an external hard drive.

Old phones...depends on the make...don't want to get too excited with smashing them if the battery isn't removal. So ideally wipe and dispose of.

At the tip, or through a weee collection rather than the dustbin.

Another vote for smashing.

Sometimes old laptops won't start up due to a build up in static in the battery - might be worth trying removing the battery and keeping it out for a minute or two, then replacing it and starting it up plugged in and charging.

Take the hard drive out, then supervise a child plus hammer having a whale of a time smashing it. We had several to dispose of when our DS was about 12. He had a truly wonderful afternoon. Not as good as when he was allowed to smash up an old picnic table and benches (Grampy's idea) but he still remembers it many years later.

Used to live in Ireland and the local authority has 'get rid of your tech' collection days.

They got rid of hard drives and recelycled the tech.

Bjzarre that there's nothing like that here.

You don't even have to take the hard drive out.

As long as you know where it is inside the box - it usually has a hatch underneath showing you where it is - you can either hammer something through it or use a drill.

As long as something goes right through the magnetic discs inside the drive they will shatter into tiny bits, even the CIA and MI5 aren't going to recover your data.

Remove the hard rive, and donate the laptop to a charity that will be able to fix it up or use the parts. My last pile of old ones went to a local animal charity.

My letter d also went with them.