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    <title><![CDATA[Discussion on Best Buy&#8217;s recycling program does not accept storage media ]]></title>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Writing all zeroes, one time]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3411749]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[is NOT equivalent to wiping a drive. There is software that can detect the subtle difference in magnetic strength of a zero that used to be a one and a zero that was always a zero.Wiping a drive involves writing random ones and zeroes to the drive and doing it several times to each sector to obliterate all hint of what was there before.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3411749]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[TonytheTiger]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sat, 22 Jan 2011 14:31:36 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[RE: Best Buy's recycling program does not accept storage media]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3411772]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[there are companies such as my tech team that will remote wipe your computer before you turn it in.  http://www.mytechteam.net]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3411772]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[mrgr33nw3ll]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:49:30 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Office Depot Tech Recycling Program]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3022060]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Office Depot will recycle old electronics (PC's, monitors, TVs, VHS recorders, etc.) without having to wipe the HDs.  They charge by the box.  A small box will hold a desktop PC and costs $5 (for shipping and the box).  They don't accept any leaking equiptment or cracked CRTs or TVs. They'll recycle small electronics (cell phone, PDAs, etc.) for free.They were very helpful, even coming out to my car to help bring everything inside.  See their web site www.officedepot.com under Services-&gt;Tech Recycling.CLM]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3022060]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[MercaLoday]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:02:41 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[RE: Best Buy's recycling program does not accept storage media]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021925]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I brought my hard drive to Computation to be drilled.  Anything above 10GB is wiped and reused, anything below is drilled and taken care of. They have locations in Toronto and Montreal, I believe.http://www.computation.to]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021925]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[publicrelatonsgirl@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:32:00 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Mmmmaybe..]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021512]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I was trying to use the term in it's strict sense as per current physics theory.It's an interesting topic though. In a sense you're probably right. If the &quot;information&quot; is scattered thinly enough, it's unlikely to be useful in the sense of &quot;knowledge&quot;.I don't pretend to be a physicist, but I try to keep up with current concepts. It's cool stuff and fun to think about.Regards]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021512]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[dogknees]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:18:17 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[How do we contact you?]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021259]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[You have peer messaging disabled in your profile and provide no address or contact info in your post.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021259]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[NickNielsen]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:31:42 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Oz doesn't suffer fools lightly]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021258]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Neither do I.end of line_]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3021258]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[NickNielsen]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:30:03 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[I will keep you in mind]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020883]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I cannot send you HDD from our systems @ work as they are used for SCADA (Supervisory Control &amp; Data Acquistion).  We are classified as &quot;critical infrastructure&quot; by Dept. of Homeland Insecurity.But I try to forward my personal drives that I no longer need.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020883]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[64molson]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:25:52 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[...lead problem...]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020838]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Yeah...I saw that film on PBS a short while back.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020838]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lost Cause?]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:20:02 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[And what would that be???]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020854]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Maybe Oz needs to speak up &amp; clear the air.Didn't sound like sarcasm to me.  It's folks with Oz's attitude the screw things for the rest of us.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020854]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[64molson]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:05:44 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Consider]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020587]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[that many of us use &quot;information&quot; and &quot;knowledge&quot; as interchangeables.  Information may be conserved; knowledge is lost every day.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020587]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[NickNielsen]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:18:57 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Conservation]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020525]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Matter isn't conserved. Mass-energy is conserved. That is the total of the two use e-mc^2 to convert. That's pretty old physics theory!Try updating your knowledge. Hawking and others consider that information is a more fundamental constituent of the universe than either mass or energy, and that it is conserved.One of the early problems with this was &quot;what happens to it when it goes into a blcak-hole?&quot;. Hawking and others demonstrated that black-hole radiation carries the information back into the rest of the universe, conserving it.Regards]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020525]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[dogknees]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:53:53 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Recycling HDs]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020515]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[This is in reply to the question in general:As the head of a project called, &quot;Project Connect Vets&quot;, a very small, non-profit to reuse old, donated, or otherwise unwanted computer equipment, we have NO budget for new hard drives. We have NO budget, period. Just what is donated to us. We have found that there are an embarrassing large number of Veterans who are being under served in many areas, one common one being the inability to go online in any manner. It doesn't take a lot of computer to just get email, load web pages, etc. Computers from the P III era are fine! Even if dial-up is all the Vet can get/afford, it's SO much better than nothing. And if you have ever been disabled, you would know how isolating it can be. And that's been proven to shorten lives. Not to mention, the quality of that life. Sitting around in a wheelchair, staring out the window like some bizarre potted plant is no way for a hero to pass time. But to go online, learn about their condition, possible treatments, what others in similar situations have done, and how they feel, and just connecting, it all makes a big difference. So, we set out to try to fill this unmet need, as best as 3 guys can. We've addressed the hard drive issue this way:We guarantee to the donor that we WILL positively, absolutely, make sure that ANY data, of any sort, IS WIPED! And, we have a friend, the Chief of Police, who we have watch as we do so. That way, he knows what we found, (if anything) and who's it was, etc. Should that data EVER show up where it shouldn't, he knows who to look for. This is all about accountability. After wiping, (We use a variety of software solutions, depending on drive) we then load up one of the LINUX distros as the OS, to avoid having to pay MS for windows. As Linux uses neither Fat, fat32, or NTFS, formatting in to Riser FS, or one of the several Linux types, really does make it very unlikely that any data is ever coming back. To hear of people using sledge hammers and high powered rifles is enough to make me cringe. Or cry. it's so hard to get decent equipment in this backwoods area as it is, and that just sounds so wasteful. Even very small drives have a use... We use the magnets as tool holders. And the platters are made into mobiles/sun catchers. They tinkle nicely in the wind. As others have pointed out, a lot of ignorance exists concerning hard drives and the ability to retrieve data from them. Mostly in the nature of urban myth, or old wives tails. Or, some people just enjoy being destructive... and to hell with the costs or consequences. My two cents worth. Anyone want to send us their old drives, We'll pay the freight to get it here! Even one good drive out of a box of ten makes it all worth while. We have a lot more systems we COULD be putting into the hands of a Vet deserving of one than we have the hard drives to fill the need. Often, the Ram is still in it, the Processor is still in it, but hard drives, even if present, have a high mortality rate. Junkman]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020515]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[therealjunkman@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:46:17 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Jeez! Whipping is a bit harsh...]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020511]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[As much as it sounds like fun, I don't think whipping them will erase much...except the label maybe.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020511]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lovs2look]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:53:59 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Easy...install it to a home users PC]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020478]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Then let them fill it up with home movies, MP3s and photos then put it on the 'net for them, sit back and watch the data die!Fastest way to erase all data from a hard disk that I know of.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020478]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lovs2look]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:51:43 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Overkill]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020253]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Wow... Does he advocate executing anyone who quits the company, as well?]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020253]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tin Weasle]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:56:18 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Losing Information]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020252]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[&quot;Information is created and lost all the time.&quot;I don't know about creating it.. But I lose information all the time.  Now, where are my car keys and who am I supposed to go meet?]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3020252]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tin Weasle]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:51:45 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Or...]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3019928]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Use thermite and melt it down.  Seriously, you cannot recover from dust and ash.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3019928]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Yamon]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:47:09 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[You think he forgot]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3019922]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[that information doesn't matter?  ]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3019922]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[NickNielsen]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:16:17 -0800</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Apparently you missed something]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3019921]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Could it be the   ?]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-302225-3019921]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[NickNielsen]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:14:43 -0800</pubDate>
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