this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2026
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PC Master Race

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51
How to format old (2000s) PC (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 days ago by Venomous27@lemmy.world to c/pcmasterrace@lemmy.world
34 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

This is an old PC I have. I wanted to put Linux on it and do some experiments with homelabbing, but it's so old-it only has 512 MB RAM and around 20 GB storage, so I don't think I can use it that efficiently.

Also, my main problem was that I couldn't put Linux on it because it doesn't support USB boot, and I don't have any CD to burn nor a burner. I tried other workarounds as well, but they didn't work. On top of that, since this PC is full of viruses, I also can't connect it to the internet.

So, I'm just going to sell this bad boy and purchase a secondhand PC to use as a home server.

My questions are:

  1. Since USB boot doesn't work and I can't connect to the internet, how should I format this PC so I can sell it without any worries?
  2. Are there any precautions I should take before selling this PC?
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[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 10 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Take the disk out and junk it. Smash the platters with a hammer.

If you really want to save the disk and pass it on, you can buy IDE to USB adapters. Take the disk out, use the adapter and plug it in to a Linux PC, format to your hearts content.

Bear in mind that formatting, zeroing or randomising the disk dara may not completely wipe the data, and forensic tools may be able to recover it. So if its sensitive, go with the hammer option (and consider further destruction if very sensitive).

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Respectfully, a single pass of randomized data is enough for everyday purposes on magnetic hard drives since 20+ years ago.

https://destroydrive.com/blog/data-wiping-1-pass-vs-3-pass-vs-7-pass-which-methodis-best/

Disclaimer: on SDDs, this is only sufficient if the full disk is overwritten, due to dynamic management of memory cells by the controller.

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 3 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Fair, seems the advice has changed. I still prefer to not sell disks, especially with all the firmware trickery that disks do. Like are bad sectors zerod? Or does the firmware skip them, potentially leaving data on the disk?

I don't have to worry if I just keep the disk or destroy it, so its peace of mind.

[–] iocase@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Well if you're that paranoid set up encryption per disk so it hardware encrypts on the platter. A bad sector is just gibberish then. Wiping the encryption key effectively wipes the disk, and you can zero it out after as well. If you also don't trust that use encryption at rest from a software side as well on top of everything.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

To be honest I used to do the same, but then recently felt safe formatting old disks to give them away. Then discovered no one wanted a 340GB drive for free, and ended up throwing it into anl container, and at the last moment I decided to whack the controller electronics for good measure ;)

What worries me though is my growing collection of old smartphones that can't be wiped reliably and therefore not recycled. I wouldn't even know which chip to destroy.

[–] iocase@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 days ago

Take them apart and smash any black chip. Although if they still have part codes you can search the code up to find what it is.

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)
[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

I am not even gonna click that link because I knew it was gonna be a suggestion :p

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

Yeah ill just keep the disk to myself. Prolly will use it somewhere or idk let it rest in peace

[–] DudeImMacGyver@kbin.earth 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Secure the data with a hammer.

No, really. Just be sure to put some goggles on!

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

If i don’t find any use for this disk, then fr i secure it

[–] DudeImMacGyver@kbin.earth 1 points 5 days ago

They're fun to take apart too.

[–] turbowafflz@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Just take out the disk before selling it, way easier than trying to securely erase it

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 0 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yup i did thought of that and ill even get a 20GB brick that but:

  1. It’ll significantly decrease the value the PC
  2. I don’t think anyone would be interested in buying a PC that not no hard disk and that they have to find super old hard disk compatible to this PC and install OS on it.
[–] turbowafflz@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Assuming it's IDE or SATA, not SCSI, the hard disk is worth maybe $20. No one who would buy a computer that old in the first place is going to be worried about the difficulty or cost of getting a hard disk and installing an os.

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 0 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Well ig that’s true. Yeah ill keep the SATA hard disk to myself and mention in the marketplace that it doesn’t come with one

[–] Die4Ever@retrolemmy.com 1 points 6 days ago

It's SATA? You could just plug it into your normal Linux computer (use a Linux live boot if you need to, do not risk it with Windows due to viruses, don't even mount the drive) and wipe it from your newer computer.

But from what I've seen, most people that buy these retro computers are gonna put an SSD in there anyways.

[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

Pop the drive out, put it in a toaster (aka hard drive sled or adapter - you just need to make sure it's compatible with said drive), and DBAN it or whatever.

Alternately, physical destruction of the platters works! Don't forget: There's a nice magnet or two inside, they make good refrigerator magnets.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I NEVER toss the magnets. There a fat ball of them in my desk drawer right now.

[–] Willdrick@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

How can you live like that? I had a single one in a drawer and it drove me nuts, sticking to random crap/tools/pens or to the drawer rails!!

I ended up sticking it on top of the door frame so at least is out of the way

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Yeyy magnets!!

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.club 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Just an idea - do you have like a more local techy forum/site/group where someone could burn & send you a CD (GParted just to wipe the drive or even some smol Linux distro ... or Win XP ... or 98, depending on market offers)?

(And yes, this is too old to make sense for selfhosting, 20 years old P4s belong in a museum.)

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Nope, there’s noone that’ll do this kinda stuff.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.club 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Oh :(.

But there are ppl that would buy it?

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

Who knows. Tbh I don’t think ppl with buy but i can’t connect sure sell to a computer shop who deal with yk second and that stuff or a computer repair shop

[–] CIA_chatbot@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Get a GOG account, Use it for classic gaming goodness

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Im not into retro gaming so yeah. Thanks for the suggestion :)

[–] CIA_chatbot@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

Well not with that attitude! (Jk)

Though if that is a CRT monitor, a lot of people who build arcade cabinets look for those, might be worth more to that crowd then just selling on Craigslist/whatever

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Good lord, yea, you'll probably get more for the monitor than the PC

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Lol fr

[–] CIA_chatbot@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

I built a cabinet a couple of years ago, would have killed to have been able to find a good quality CRT. Ended up using a flatscreen because I got tired of looking locally

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

Hehe. Yeah i heard many ppl like crts but not sure if ppl actually care abt it here. I’ll try to squeeze as much money i could get from this build

[–] mvirts@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Does it support network boot? Floppy disk?

[–] Venomous27@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

Ig it does support floppy cuz it shows in file manager. But i can’t connect it to internet cuz it’s full of viruses