How do I get rid of an old computer?
 

We have an old computer (hard drive has already been destroyed and discarded) and need to get rid of it. We are told that we have to, or at least should, recycle it. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to find the best service to do this?

Thanks,
Mike

In BOS, contact your city DPW and you may either have to buy a sticker or just drop it off. What city/town are you in? Also many vendors like Apple will accept a computer return, when you buy a new one. Dell also has some system, but well, I stay away from Dell, so don't know their whole deal. PM me for more info if near Cambridge.

Recycle it through your local municpality or sell it on ebay for parts.

Freecycle.org is your friend. People will pick up and cart away pretty much anything if it's free ;)

Goodwill takes computer accessories, parts etc. You can check out your local Goodwill stores and see if they have the computer center that can take it off your hand.

To avoid paying a recycling fee, we have two techniques. One is to advertise the item on our local craigslist or freecycle (actually, freecycle is called freeuse in my parish for some reason), and someone comes and takes the item away, perhaps thinking they can repair it or just add a hard drive of their own. The second way is, once or twice a year, our parish (county) accepts electronic trash including computers without charging any recycling fee. How fast do you need to get rid of it? It just doesn't hit me right to have to pay $25 for something I can no longer use, but I'm on a budget, so I take my time and use one of those two techniques.

I don't like the Goodwill idea unless you are confident that computer is operational because you end up sticking Goodwill with the recycling fee. Our local Goodwill charges too high for such items, so they don't sell and they end up being junk.

On a related topic - are there are good programs out there that would let someone, not extremely computer literate, wipe the hard drive so it can be donated along with the computer?

I hate the thought of removing and trashing the hard drive, although I do realize it is the absolute safest way to make sure no one else can read anything that might have been left on the hard drive. But I hate the thought of leaving personal stuff on the hard drive that might be recovered by who knows who.

We just stick them in our garage. It is getting full.

Good grief! I just went to double check San Diego County for information on their free recycling program, and found there's one this Saturday to benefit Soroptimist's International and they will take everything and anything considered eWaste.

Even better, it's very close to our home and includes "Assured Data Destruction" with Proof of Destruction.

Doesn't do much for the developing world, but:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_uvM-5xKs

If you have a Costco membership, they'll do it free (or possibly pay you if it's new enough)

If you are in Manhattan, you just put it on the curb, it's gone in an hour. People will now take it apart and just take the pieces they want, eventually it's all gone.

You are all good and kind people. Thank you.

Mike

In some (maybe all by now?) states Best Buy will accept the computer without the hard drive to recycle.

Office Depot has electronics recyle boxes, at least in Seattle. You pay for the box and then stuff it full of what you want to get rid of. Then drop the box back off.

KillDisk seemed fairly simple when I used it.