Throwing away an old computer can be complicated. First, many municipalities have special policies regarding the disposal of old electronic equipment. These policies are in place because the electronic components in a computer have a very long life expectancy – they don’t break down well in the landfill. Second, they’re filled with dangerous (as in toxic) materials like arsenic and lead, which also don’t do very well in the landfill. Third, some materials can be recycled – like plastics and metal, so they have scrap value. But what about removing old software and other data on old hard disks and storage devices?

Where Do Old Computers Go To Die?

The answer may surprise you. Often, nothing happens to it. Thousands of computers are disposed of each year with completely readable, accessible and operable hard drives. Data stored on the disk may be sensitive. Business documents, personally identifiable information, credit card and checking account information, licensed software, Social Security numbers and other information just sits on the disk, often waiting for nothing in particular. Resourceful individuals can (and do) gather this information and exploit it for personal gain.

Industrial espionage sounds enticing, but companies throw away valuable business information stored on hard drives every day. Here’s the kicker: once the original owner throws something away, the law says that anyone can scavenge it and the original owner has no recourse.

When you throw away a computer, or dispose of data storage devices, your best bet is to make sure the entire disk has been cleaned and cleaned again. A few forward-thinking companies require that hard disks and other storage devices be formatted, magnetically erased, broken or destroyed before being disposed of. Most, however, simply let their retired computer equipment go without erasing a single item on the hard drive.

Perfect Uninstaller can help ensure that your data stay safe, even when you’ve parted company with your data storage systems. Install Perfect Uninstaller on your hard disk prior to retiring it, and use the easy interface to select the files you want removed. Click the button and Perfect Uninstaller will go to work, erasing the files, and preventing them from getting into the hands of persons unknown.

Perfect Uninstaller works quickly and efficiently to remove applications and stored data. It can also help you remove licensed software from the hard disk, so it can’t be used elsewhere illegally.

Perfect Uninstaller is a great technical tool, and I’m happy to recommend its use.

Photo Credit: Jeff Kubina, via Flickr