Should You Recycle Or Reuse An Old Hard Drive?
Some people need to change computers with every new year's releases. Whether you're interested in the newest device or in dire need of an entire department's upgrade, you should be sure to look into certain recyclable materials and components that can be reused. As you remove old systems and prepare for upgrades, take a few of the following points into consideration as you remove the hard drive.
Hard Drives Are Valuable When Working Or Broken
The hard drive is a key point for computer use and recycling. As one of the main components and responsible for storing all of the information you need to run the computer and stay productive, it's important to be absolutely sure of its working status.
Why did the computer stop working? Was it because of an electrical problem, wear and tear or a virus? No matter the reason, the hard drive can be tested and observed for different symptoms before discarding it.
Electrical problems can physically destroy computer components, but it isn't common for all components to be damaged. In an electrical storm or other surge of power, the power supply usually breaks first with maybe a slight electrical burn to the motherboard. The hard drive might still be working.
Wear and tear is harder to recover from. If the hard drive seems to be clicking, the platters inside the drive are likely scratched or worn out from constantly being read by the hard drive's reading needle.
A virus is not a physical problem. It may have stopped your computer from working, but a virus is a simple issue of corrupted files. You can format (or erase) the hard drive and start from scratch, or attempt to recover the hard drive with the help of a computer technician.
All of these issues can be tested by putting the hard drive into another computer. If the drive is recognized, it's working. If the hard drive isn't seen, feel free to scrap the hard drive.
Scrapping Hard Drive For Metals And Magnets
The hard drive has a few materials that can be useful in the recycling system. Scrap metals such as aluminum and copper can be found in varying amounts, and it's up to you to decide if it's worth the effort.
If you have a growing pile of copper wires, there are a few wires that can be pulled from the circuit board built onto the hard drive. It isn't much, but every bit counts when trying to meet weight standards at a scrap metal center.
The aluminum is more plentiful. The hard drive's casing and some protective inner walls are made out of aluminum, as well as a few bolts that hold the hard drive together. Since people collect cans for aluminum, a heavier hard drive is certainly worth the effort. There may be more aluminum in the average hard drive than a can of soda or beer, but the weight can be deceptive because of the glass-like platters inside.
If you're breaking open the hard drive, there are some valuable rare earth magnets inside. These magnets are sought after by industries and hobbyists alike, and may have fetch a great value at a scrap metal center.
For more information, contact Recycling Center Inc. or a similar company.
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