Q&A for How to Remove a Hard Drive

A lot of Dell computers actually don't use screws. You're going to be a lot happier, actually. Their hard drives are designed to slide right in and out of the slot. You'll sometimes have to press a little pin slot to unlock it, but it's super easy once you get the hang of it.

If you remove it properly and take all of the screws and brackets out, then sure. So long as the computer is totally off, you're not putting the drive at risk or anything.

As in taking it out of the case? No, the hard drive will still contain whatever information was on it when it was inside of your computer. If you're talking about deleting a drive, the answer is kind of. There are a handful of ways to get that information back.

It's mostly safe, but due to the possibility of shrapnel flying out, you might want to wear safety goggles.

Yes. The hard drive stores all the computer's information.

You could destroy it, but I recommend running a magnet over it so it's defunct. Then you can sell it to your neighborhood electronic scrap recycler.

Simply reverse-engineer the steps and place it back into the computer you want it to be in. If you want to use it for something else, I'd say get creative or sell it to a recycler.

Possibly. The area where the DVD-ROM sits is near the hard drive, sometimes in the shelving area where the DVD-ROM is placed.

No, laptop hard drives are smaller and more compact. You can, however, use the hard drive from your old computer as a second hard drive in another desktop computer, if there's an open bay and power/data cables to support the second drive.

If it still works, you can wipe it using your OS's recovery disc. Then you can actually get money from it if you give it to Apple (it doesn't even have to be an Apple Computer) if you are in the US. If you are here in the UK, try Currys/PC World, they'll give you Currys/PC World or Dixons vouchers.

Generally, the connectors for desktop hard drives are of a different type from laptops and won't fit.

You can, but I highly recommend NOT doing so unless you have a very good reason. Don't touch the platters, as these contain your data and are fragile/magnetic sensitive.

Yes; although less secure, you can overwrite the data multiple times with software tools.

You can find inexpensive cases on Amazon and eBay that house a PC hard drive and convert it to an external USB drive. Check for one depending on your drive's interface (IDE or SATA).

You don't need the monitor to be connected to remove the hard drive. You only need to have the console.

You can unplug it from the USB port on the computer after you eject it from the file manager.

Yes you can. Other hard drives can still make this possible, provided the OS was installed in one of the remaining hard drives.

You just have to remove the data cable, but it is not necessary to remove it. There won't be a problem with not removing it, but for safety it is a good idea to remove it.

You are referring to what is called a screwdriver, there are plenty of shops around that sell a screwdriver (this of course depends on the type of computer or laptop you have).

Just follow these steps. Your HP slimline Pavilion will be much like other desktops, open the case and remove it.