Guest Paul MR Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give them away to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). But I know they contain confidential information like my old tax returns. Any suggestions about how to clean them before offering them to strangers? If I wind up having to trash them, is burning them the safest way to destroy the data? Apologies if this is the wrong group to ask; could you redirect me please. Paul in San Francisco
Guest Shenan Stanley Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes Paul MR wrote: > From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) that > I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give them away > to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). But I know > they contain confidential information like my old tax returns. Any > suggestions about how to clean them before offering them to strangers? If > I wind up having to trash them, is burning them the safest way to destroy > the data? Apologies if this is the wrong group to ask; could you redirect > me please. Open them, pull the tape, cut in into strips... You can burn them - but the fumes are pretty toxic. If someone you know is still USING those tapes - buy them a DVD burner instead. More space, longer life, smaller profile... -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Guest Vanguard Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes "Paul MR" <mbm701@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:OYhIXwJ3HHA.600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) > that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give > them away to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). > But I know they contain confidential information like my old tax > returns. Any suggestions about how to clean them before offering them > to strangers? If I wind up having to trash them, is burning them the > safest way to destroy the data? Apologies if this is the wrong group > to ask; could you redirect me please. > Paul in San Francisco Give them to whom? You won't find anyone that wants them. Even if they did have a tape drive that could use those tapes, why would they trust media which is unknown for the number of uses, how it was cared for (which doesn't sound like it was cared for well), or wonder how much the tape stretched? To destroy, just take the tape out (by dismantling the case or unlatch the locking mechanism to pull out) and stretch it. If it is stretched, only very special equipment could read it. Stretching it might also result in the magnetic material peeling off the tape.
Guest GHalleck Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes Paul MR wrote: > From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) > that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give them > away to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). But I > know they contain confidential information like my old tax returns. Any > suggestions about how to clean them before offering them to strangers? > If I wind up having to trash them, is burning them the safest way to > destroy the data? Apologies if this is the wrong group to ask; could > you redirect me please. > Paul in San Francisco A bulk eraser for 2" magnetic audio tape or videotape should do fine at erasing these data tapes. One might want to look in the Yellow Pages for an older recording studio or video studio that would still have one.
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 21:48:49 -0700, Paul MR <mbm701@yahoo.com> wrote: > From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) > that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give them > away to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). It's highly unlikely that you would find anyone who might want them. They are dinosaurs. > But I > know they contain confidential information like my old tax returns. Any > suggestions about how to clean them before offering them to strangers? > If I wind up having to trash them, is burning them the safest way to > destroy the data? Simply throwing them away is probably safe enough. Anyone who happened to rout through your garbage and might find them would be highly unlikely to go looking for a dinosaur of a tape drive so he could read them in the *hope* that he might find something of interest there. But if you want to destroy them, go right ahead. Burning them is way overkill, Just breaking the cartridges would make them unreadable. If you want to do more, unspool and crinkle the tape or cut it with scissors. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Paul MR Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes GHalleck wrote: > > Paul MR wrote: > >> From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) >> that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give >> them away to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). >> But I know they contain confidential information like my old tax >> returns. Any suggestions about how to clean them before offering them >> to strangers? If I wind up having to trash them, is burning them the >> safest way to destroy the data? Apologies if this is the wrong group >> to ask; could you redirect me please. >> Paul in San Francisco > > A bulk eraser for 2" magnetic audio tape or videotape should do fine at > erasing these data tapes. One might want to look in the Yellow Pages for > an older recording studio or video studio that would still have one. Thank you, GHalleck, for a helpful answer without attitude. Paul in San Francisco
Guest Shenan Stanley Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes Paul MR wrote: > From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes > (Travan 3) that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I > want to give them away to whoever might still use them (they cost > over $30 each). But I know they contain confidential information > like my old tax returns. Any suggestions about how to clean them > before offering them to strangers? If I wind up having to trash > them, is burning them the safest way to destroy the data? Apologies if > this is the wrong group to ask; could you redirect > me please. Paul in San Francisco GHalleck wrote: > A bulk eraser for 2" magnetic audio tape or videotape should do > fine at erasing these data tapes. One might want to look in the > Yellow Pages for an older recording studio or video studio that > would still have one. Paul MR wrote: > Thank you, GHalleck, for a helpful answer without attitude. > Paul in San Francisco I did not realize any of the other responses had any sort of 'attitude' in them. My response: Shenan Stanley wrote: > Open them, pull the tape, cut in into strips... > You can burn them - but the fumes are pretty toxic. > > If someone you know is still USING those tapes - buy them a DVD > burner instead. More space, longer life, smaller profile... Gave you a solution and pointed out the fact that anyone still using those tapes for backup - given their capacity - it would be better to suggest to them to start using something else that is more reliable, faster, less expensive with a good life left. :-) -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Guest Uncle Grumpy Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes Paul MR <mbm701@yahoo.com> wrote: >> A bulk eraser for 2" magnetic audio tape or videotape should do fine at >> erasing these data tapes. One might want to look in the Yellow Pages for >> an older recording studio or video studio that would still have one. > >Thank you, GHalleck, for a helpful answer without attitude. And just HOW likely are you to follow that advice, given all the other advice you're received that included an "attitude"? NONE. My bet is you trash the tapes in the easiest way possible and move on.
Guest Plato Posted August 12, 2007 Posted August 12, 2007 Re: Old Tapes Paul MR wrote: > > From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes (Travan 3) > that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I want to give them > away to whoever might still use them (they cost over $30 each). But I Toss them in the trash. -- http://www.bootdisk.com/
Guest Vanguard Posted August 13, 2007 Posted August 13, 2007 Re: Old Tapes "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message news:eLiAFaR3HHA.5360@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... > Paul MR wrote: >> From the back of the closet I recently unearthed six tapes >> (Travan 3) that I used to use for back up three computers ago. I >> want to give them away to whoever might still use them (they cost >> over $30 each). But I know they contain confidential information >> like my old tax returns. Any suggestions about how to clean them >> before offering them to strangers? If I wind up having to trash >> them, is burning them the safest way to destroy the data? Apologies >> if this is the wrong group to ask; could you redirect >> me please. Paul in San Francisco > > GHalleck wrote: >> A bulk eraser for 2" magnetic audio tape or videotape should do >> fine at erasing these data tapes. One might want to look in the >> Yellow Pages for an older recording studio or video studio that >> would still have one. > > Paul MR wrote: >> Thank you, GHalleck, for a helpful answer without attitude. >> Paul in San Francisco > > I did not realize any of the other responses had any sort of > 'attitude' in them. They don't, but now they will. The "solution" he liked is to go out and buy a bulk tape eraser. Guess he doesn't have a screwdriver or thinks a bulk eraser is cheaper than a screwdriver to dismantle the cartridge to then just stretch the tape or cut up with scissors (maybe he doesn't have scissors, too). Besides, the bulk tape eraser he buys from Radio Shack is not an industrial-grade unit. I suppose when he wants to get physically destroy those old vacuum tubes that he'll use a torch to melt them instead of using a hammer and protective eyewear. Guess he likes more costly solutions. Well, if it makes him fell better. It's doubtful that any tapes he had sitting in a closet for years is of value to anyone except him. He highly overrates the value of his data and of his antiquated gear. Best bet is to check on when the computer show is scheduled at the state fair grounds. There is lots of old junk there. He should go visit 24hoursupport.helpdesk or NANAE if he wants to see what attitude really is.
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