Author Topic: Apple Recycle Program (Read 2715 times)

Sooz · « **on:** December 29, 2013, 02:38:01 PM »

I'm getting ready to send my old (can't-access-anything-but-a-blank-screen-and-can't-boot-up-from-anything) iMac to the Apple Recycling Program through their PowerON service. I had upgraded to Mac OS X Snow Leopard earlier so that's what it was running.

My old iMac was backed up and all of that data is now on my new iMac.

My old iMac had a document called Passwords, and while most of them were not the actual passwords, but rather hints and clues as to passwords (Ex: where KM went for her 21st birthday followed by JL's zip code), I still had some specific sensitive and/or private data in my journal and other documents (from my side job as a Parent Advocate representing parents and special needs students) that were on that iMac.

In an online Apple Support Community, I read this about personal data:
"We used to be able to safely scrub our hard drives of sensitive data, but that feature has been removed in various new features or new features added to later OS X versions that it just makes it a lot simpler to just remove the drive if you're able and replace it with a new one when the machine is repaired."

Before I mail off my old iMac, is there anything I can do about this issue, should I try to remove the drive, how easy or difficult is that? Do the PowerON people wipe the HD or remove it & incinerate it or ? ? ?

Thanks!!!!!
Smiles,
Sooz

jchuzi · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2013, 03:55:55 PM »

Personally, I would erase the drive. Can you boot the old Mac from the install disk? If you do that, go to the second screen and select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Select the hard drive and click the Erase tab. Then, click the Security Options tab and select Zero Out Data. Click OK and then click Erase.

This option will make it difficult or impossible to retrieve data. The seven-way and thirty-five way options are even more secure but they will take seven and thirty five times longer, respectively. When you're done, restart while holding the mouse down and the disk will be ejected. You can then do what you like with the drive. That's the way it works with 10.6 and back to at least 10.4 (in my experience).

Alternatively, if you can connect the old Mac to the new via Firewire and start the old in Target Disk Mode (start up while pressing T), you can use Disk Utility on the new Mac to erase the old.

Sooz · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2013, 04:19:58 PM »

Hi, Jon, and thanks for the ideas.

Unfortunately, I cannot boot the old Mac from the install disk. The old Mac does nothing--just a blue screen with the grey-ish clockwise spinning thingy--that was after the spinning beach ball of death.

You lost me here--this is a bit beyond my basic, limited abilities! "if you can connect the old Mac to the new via Firewire and start the old in Target Disk Mode (start up while pressing T), you can use Disk Utility on the new Mac to erase the old."

Should I be considering a sledge hammer?? I can be handy that way!

Smiles,
Sooz

Xairbusdriver · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2013, 04:20:26 PM »

I'm confused... again. Who is the person in the Apple Support Forums who says we should remove our drives and replace them? What qualifications do they have? And what does that have to do with "PowerOn" anyway. Replacing a drive is not something most people will even attempt with an iMac. Sounds like something one would do with the older, desktop models that were extremely easy to open up and work on; add a drive, replace a drive, add memory, etc. But that would be done when you were planning on keeping the machine, not when you were 'throwing it away.'

I'd be more interested in word from "PowerOn," whoever they are, for info on what they will do with all the hardware. Most recyclers simply grind up the hardware and run the pieces through chemical baths to extract the lead (solder), copper and gold. There's not much of that in a hard drive but I doubt they take the time to remove them from anything. And I seriously doubt they would incinerate anything. It's hard enough to keep the hazardous chemicals secure inside the building, no sense in dumping it into the atmosphere, even if you spend the money on trapping the gases (which are almost useless and worthless). The hard drive is the least valuable part of any used computer. It will become corrupted/unusable, whether you keep it or give it away. It's just a matter of time, and most of that time has already been used while you had the machine.

Having a list of passwords, especially old ones is not going to be of any use to anyone unless they also know your user name and where the password is valid. And even if all that was in a plain text file, there are too many other ways to hack passwords/names by the hundreds of thousands to bother with the info from one computer/user.

The only time I would recommend your even bothering to erase a drive is if you know it's going to be used by someone else; either by giving it to a group that normally don't have access to computers or to a friend/family member. If that's what PowerOn does with these machines, they will replace the drive with new ones. And the drive will still most likely be sent to a scrap dealer. Otherwise, I would not recommend buying anything from them!

That's my $ 0.1639.

Sooz · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2013, 05:02:14 PM »

Hi, XAirB ! Awww, c'mon--in my book, you're seldom confused! You're HELPFUL!

The PowerON people are the folks that Apple coordinates with for the Apple recycling program for old computers, so they don't get dumped in the dump as electronic waste. I guess my next step is to call or email PowerON.

My PW document does have my login info, as that info varies with the sites I frequent. As I age, I find this *helpful!* That login info & sites would be a concern related to my passwords.

Here is where I quoted the info in my original post, since my old desktop model is kinda easy to take apart, I guess: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4273

Smiles,
Sooz

Paddy · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2013, 07:32:51 PM »

QUOTE(Sooz @ Dec 29 2013, 06:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, XAirB ! Awww, c'mon--in my book, you're seldom confused! You're HELPFUL!

The PowerON people are the folks that Apple coordinates with for the Apple recycling program for old computers, so they don't get dumped in the dump as electronic waste. I guess my next step is to call or email PowerON.

My PW document does have my login info, as that info varies with the sites I frequent. As I age, I find this *helpful!* That login info & sites would be a concern related to my passwords.

Here is where I quoted the info in my original post, since my old desktop model is kinda easy to take apart, I guess: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4273

Smiles,
Sooz

Sooz, I think PowerOn are going to tell you the same things as are in the FAQ at Apple: http://www.apple.com/recycling/includes/recycling-faq.html

They tell you to erase all data - that they aren't responsible if that data is compromised. They also tell you that they erase data, but again warn that they cannot guarantee it won't be compromised in the process of transferring the machine to their facilities.

What model is your old iMac? It sounds like it has a dead logic board - the drive may in fact be fine, but there is no way to tell, unless you remove it. Since you don't have to worry about putting everything back together so it actually works, I'd be inclined to try removing the hard drive yourself before you send it off. See: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+20-...ment/1092#s5805 - I've taken a wild guess here at which iMac you had previously. If it's not the right one, you can find instructions at iFixit for the right one. You'll need Torx screwdrivers and a small Phillips (sizes are specified) and you can make your own spudger (I just filed down a disposable plastic knife!) Not sure about the "cards" - they look suspiciously like old credit cards…

The bonus is that if you remove the drive, and it's a useful size at all, you can put it in an external enclosure and use it.

Sooz · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2013, 12:16:54 AM »

Hi, Paddy, and thanks for ringing in here!!!

My old iMac was an iMac G4 with a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and it started out running OSX version 10.4.11, as pictured below, and then I added RAM to up the memory and also sprang for Snow Leopard to go along with it. I know it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, but noooo, I only have a vague idea! lolam

Thanks for including helpful links (instructions with pictures!!--my favorite!!!) and the recommendation for Torx and small Phillips screwdrivers as well as the way to make a do-it-myself spudger!

Smiles,
Sooz

Paddy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2013, 10:03:21 AM »

QUOTE(Sooz @ Dec 30 2013, 01:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, Paddy, and thanks for ringing in here!!!

My old iMac was an iMac G4 with a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and it started out running OSX version 10.4.11, as pictured below, and then I added RAM to up the memory and also sprang for Snow Leopard to go along with it. I know it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, but noooo, I only have a vague idea! lolam

Thanks for including helpful links (instructions with pictures!!--my favorite!!!) and the recommendation for Torx and small Phillips screwdrivers as well as the way to make a do-it-myself spudger!

Smiles,
Sooz

Sooz, that's not an iMac G4, or a G5 - that's one of the Intel iMacs. (They just get referred to as "iMacs" now)

This one: http://www.ifixit.com/Device/iMac_Intel_20...C_2105_and_2118

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+20-...eplacement/1092

Sooz · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2013, 12:07:37 PM »

Ohhh, boy, Paddy, thanks for the correction! See how much I know??? NOT MUCH! ha ha

Anyway, thanks for the links!!!

Smiles,
Sooz

tacit · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2013, 07:34:22 PM »

QUOTE(Sooz @ Dec 29 2013, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ou lost me here--this is a bit beyond my basic, limited abilities! "if you can connect the old Mac to the new via Firewire and start the old in Target Disk Mode (start up while pressing T), you can use Disk Utility on the new Mac to erase the old."

Should I be considering a sledge hammer?? I can be handy that way!

Smiles,
Sooz

One of the coolest things about a Mac is that you can, at the press of a button, turn it into nothing more than an external hard drive.

You turn on the computer and hold down the T key on the keyboard. Instead of booting, you will just see the FireWire logo blinking on the screen. Now your computer is not acting like a computer; it's a FireWire drive. Connect one end of a FireWire cable to it, connect the other end to a different computer, and the Mac's hard drive will appear on the other computer. You can reformat it, erase it, copy files off it, or do whatever else you like.

Paddy · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2013, 09:12:02 PM »

QUOTE(tacit @ Dec 30 2013, 08:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE(Sooz @ Dec 29 2013, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ou lost me here--this is a bit beyond my basic, limited abilities! "if you can connect the old Mac to the new via Firewire and start the old in Target Disk Mode (start up while pressing T), you can use Disk Utility on the new Mac to erase the old."

Should I be considering a sledge hammer?? I can be handy that way!

Smiles,
Sooz

One of the coolest things about a Mac is that you can, at the press of a button, turn it into nothing more than an external hard drive.

You turn on the computer and hold down the T key on the keyboard. Instead of booting, you will just see the FireWire logo blinking on the screen. Now your computer is not acting like a computer; it's a FireWire drive. Connect one end of a FireWire cable to it, connect the other end to a different computer, and the Mac's hard drive will appear on the other computer. You can reformat it, erase it, copy files off it, or do whatever else you like.

It is very cool...but you do need a functioning logic board to make it happen. I doubt that Sooz has that, given the symptoms she's described.

Sooz · « **Reply #11 on:** January 03, 2014, 03:10:51 PM »

Well, the hard drive is removed. I soaked it in salted water for a few hours because I read about this somewhere, and later this weekend, I'll get out the drill and my goggles and go to work on it. THAT'LL be the way I'll make sure the HD is not recoverable.

(I love power tools!)

Thank you everyone, for your help and input!

Smiles,
Sooz

Xairbusdriver · « **Reply #12 on:** January 03, 2014, 04:07:07 PM »

QUOTE

I'll get out the drill and my goggles and go to work on it.

But... but... There's an app for that!!!

<Disk Drill>
No dangerous bits or bytes to fly into your eyes!

Sooz · « **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2014, 02:55:01 PM »

But I look so cool in goggles, holding a drill !

Xairbusdriver · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2014, 03:24:27 PM »

News:

Author Topic: Apple Recycle Program (Read 2715 times)