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I met with a couple that had some computers that they were going to let me have,but first they wanted the hard drives removed. They did'nt know how to do it,so they asked if I would. This is the first time that I have picked up scrap computers,and been asked to remove the hard drive,usually they already have removed it,or don't care that I take it.

It's amazing how many people don't know how to use a screwdriver.

It's right up there with how many people don't know how to do an oil change.

If someone uses a device or machine every day, they should have some basic concept of how it works.

Dr. Cadmium wrote:It's amazing how many people don't know how to use a screwdriver.

It's right up there with how many people don't know how to do an oil change.

If someone uses a device or machine every day, they should have some basic concept of how it works.

Or have made enough money in life to be able to pay someone who knows how to do it to get it done.

We remove hard drives for our customers all the time. Hey, you're getting the stuff for free, why not give something in return? If they were my computers and I was giving them away, you bet I'd ask the recycler to remove the drives for me.

Is their a step by step for scrapping computers?, I just acquired two, a 1.4 pentium, and an old IBM something with win95, although an AMD, I get both the hard drives. Last time I scrapped hard drives for aluminum I did not get anything for it because they had paint on them, aluminum plus paint pays less than aluminum cans, kind of turned me away from collecting aluminum.

Hard drives should pay about the same as sheet and cast AL. You need to remove the logic board and sell it seperate. I just sold 1900 pounds of drives and got .53 cents per pound. That in the Omaha area.

I'm finally saving motherboards/computer boards and such, I'll have to research my local market, last I checked you had to pay to get rid of anything electronic.

if you have a large amount of ewaste you can probably sell it on feebay if you can't get a good deal locally.

I was asked to remove hard drives before, and since they used torx bits I had to physically pry the HD out and give it to the owner.

I absolutely don't think it's a poor reflection of the owner not to know what the HD is, or to ask for it before 'donating' a computer to a stranger. If they're doing you a good deed by giving you scrap, how can you complain?

I wouldn't give my HD to anyone, would you?

wheatie_fan wrote:I wouldn't give my HD to anyone, would you?

I did, but not before a little disassembly at the wrong end of a 12 gauge.

I tell people I pull the platters out of the hd and scrape them against the concrete floor a couple of times before going to the landfill, which is exactly what I do with them.

wheatie_fan wrote:I wouldn't give my HD to anyone, would you?

No, that's why I'd put in 5 minutes of effort to remove it myself.

I suppose if you're getting towers for free it's one thing, but I have to pay for 95% of the ones I get, and a growing number don't have hard drives in them or have already been wiped.

silversaddle1 wrote:We remove hard drives for our customers all the time. Hey, you're getting the stuff for free, why not give something in return? If they were my computers and I was giving them away, you bet I'd ask the recycler to remove the drives for me.

I did'nt have a problem removing the hard drives,it's just the first time anyone has asked me to do so.

wheatie_fan wrote:I was asked to remove hard drives before, and since they used torx bits I had to physically pry the HD out and give it to the owner.

I absolutely don't think it's a poor reflection of the owner not to know what the HD is, or to ask for it before 'donating' a computer to a stranger. If they're doing you a good deed by giving you scrap, how can you complain?

I wouldn't give my HD to anyone, would you?

I wasn't complaining,I was just saying that I have never been asked to remove a hard drive. I have no problem doing it,and totally understand why they would want to do so,I just had never been asked to do it before.

everything wrote:I tell people I pull the platters out of the hd and scrape them against the concrete floor a couple of times before going to the landfill, which is exactly what I do with them.

I tell them to drill a hole through the entire thing,kind of hard to read with a hole in it.

everything wrote:Is their a step by step for scrapping computers?, I just acquired two, a 1.4 pentium, and an old IBM something with win95, although an AMD, I get both the hard drives. Last time I scrapped hard drives for aluminum I did not get anything for it because they had paint on them, aluminum plus paint pays less than aluminum cans, kind of turned me away from collecting aluminum.

With hard drives I remove the board,and put in my green board pile,aluminum in the aluminum pile,and after I gather up a good amount of the magnets,I sell them to.