Hard drives do not last forever, especially the older models. Long years of wear and tear can take their toll on hard drives. Once this happens, you need to replace them sooner than later.
Most of us will simply destroy and get rid of the hard drive. But here are a few tips on what to do with old hard drives.
Recycle or Donate Old Hard Drives
Instead of letting your old hard drives rot in the landfill, check first if your area has some technology recycling or refurbishing programs. There are groups that could give new life to old devices then give them to people who need them the most.
For completely dead hard drives, you can recycle these instead. You can now find companies running services for e-waste reclamation. There are also places that give store credit for electronics surrendered to them for recycling. You can visit participating centers or check if pick-ups are allowed by the program.
While hard drives are accepted in most recycling programs, it is best if you check first the list of electronics they accept.
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Harvest the Old Hard Drive Parts
Harvesting the magnets is one of the easiest and simplest things to do with old hard drives. Hard drives contain some really powerful magnets that could be used for all kinds of things.
You can remove the magnets from your old hard drives then use these as ultra-strong ref magnets. You can also use them for temporarily magnetizing your tools when you work with some small parts.
Hard drives also have extremely polished platters that can be used as cool mirrors. Just combine the hard drive magnet with a platter and you will already have a geeky and unique mini mirror you can use for your gym or office locker or even for your home fridge.
If you don’t want to recycle the parts found inside the hard drive, an empty hard drive case can also be turned to a hidden safe. Thieves would never bother going through a bin filled with old drives nor will they be interested to steal and aged and useless-looking drive.
Be Crafty With Old Hard Drives
For the computer hardware experts, there are a few cool things that can be done with an old hard drive.
Don’t worry if your hard drives are no longer functioning because you can still use them in many ways. You can give them a second life as a desk clock or even a USB hub. With just a bit of fiddling with wires, you can surely think of artsy ways to make the most out of your old drives.
These are only some of the useful and fun ideas on what to do with old hard drives. For those who love taking things apart and tinkering with electronics, old hard drives are treasure troves of small bits and pieces you can play with.
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