Disposing of old computers, phones and drives

Every old computer, phone and hard drive that leaves your business is a potential data breach. Deleting files, or even resetting a device, does not necessarily remove the data; it can often be recovered with freely available tools. Equipment also contains materials that should not go in general waste. Here is how we handle it.

Tell us before it leaves

Before you sell, donate, recycle or throw away any device that has held business data, email hello@bitnode.tech. That includes computers, laptops, phones, tablets, USB sticks, external drives, old servers and office printers and copiers, which often have a hard drive storing copies of everything they have printed or scanned.

What we do

We first make sure anything still needed is saved elsewhere and that the device is signed out of your accounts and removed from Microsoft 365, Intune and our monitoring. Then we erase the storage with a method that overwrites it or uses the drive's own secure-erase feature, so the data cannot be recovered. A drive that is faulty and cannot be erased is physically destroyed. Phones and tablets are wiped through their built-in secure reset after being removed from your management. Finally we record the device, its serial number, the method and the date, so you have evidence of what was done if an auditor, insurer or privacy regulator ever asks.

Reuse, donate or recycle

A wiped computer that still works can be reused in the business, donated or sold. One that has reached the end of its life goes to a certified electronics recycler. Many provinces and states have free electronics recycling programs for businesses, and we can tell you where the nearest drop-off is or arrange collection for a larger batch.

Leased and warranty equipment

If a device is going back to a leasing company or being returned under warranty, it still needs to be wiped first. Where a failed drive has to be returned to the manufacturer, ask whether you can keep the drive instead; many warranties allow it for a small fee, and it avoids sending your data away.

Doing it yourself

If you have a single personal device and want to wipe it yourself, use the built-in reset with the option to clean the drive fully, on Windows under Settings, System, Recovery, choosing to remove everything and clean the drive. On phones, sign out of your accounts, then use the factory reset. For business devices, please let us do it so it is recorded.