My advice is to be careful digging in dumpsters/trash cans can be considered an invasion of privacy in all 50 states, it varies state to state how much it really is enforced. My friend ran dumptruck for 22 years and he would pick out PCs and stuff for me and he got fired from the change in privacy laws. Most people don't care but some see a person pulling a PC out of a dumpster as a identity thief, I have had people take pictures and say they will report me if I came back so be careful.

I bet I could try to convince them to let me give them the hard drives, then I keep the rest of the PC.

Not every company that deals with computers knows that you can wipe all that drive data by using the Windows CD to erase the partitions.

... and not every individual knows that hard drive is the place where all the "identity data" is stored.

If I don't want people to eat from my fridge, I lock the apartment. If I left the fridge on the street I would come back to see it empty. So if these people care so much about their "identity data", why do they dump the computer in the first place?

hmm, my best guesses I suppose they forget it's personal value when they find their old pc, believe they've got nothing to hide, or they just don't care, and don't know much about computers and think the old one is nothing but junk when it fails. This is true with elderly folks.

Who remember Palm OS? A few years back I got an old Palm PDA device on eBay that used to belong to someone moderately famous. This person's personal diary was on there from about a decade earlier.

I had a Palm m500 in 2006. It was a very nice companion 😀
It even had a bunch of games running on it

computergeek92 wrote:

Not every company that deals with computers knows that you can wipe all that drive data by using the Windows CD to erase the partitions.

Yeah.... And not everyone knows that programs like "GetDataBack NTFS" exist, plus a great big number of other programs, usually found on Ultimate bootdisc and others a like. If secure wipe is in need, use "Darik Boot And Nuke" instead. 😉
If you shut off the computer while Dariks Boot And Nuke is running, you might activate the "Master/primaery password" on the drive as a bonus.
This will result in that you can not even access the drive unless that password is typed in.
Not even the controller can see the drive propperly, and will refuse to complete the boot-process.
Attaching the drive to an pci controller, that can not be used for boot-devices are the only means of getting the machine to boot propperly.
(Loading an OS or live-cd with tools and stuff)
Normally it is only the manufactor wich know the password, yet some can be found out in the wild. Like Hitachi wich should be 32 blank characters.

Passwords like on this list....
https://ipv5.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/list-of … ster-passwords/

Using this guide for unlocking master password...
https://geekscrowd.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/h … your-hard-disk/

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Where I live if its out on the street its considered public property. If it is in a dumpster make sure the dumpster is on public property, IE: City park or on the street/curb. If the dumpster is locked then its a big no-no. I mainly get computers from the thrift shops. One of the ones I frequent recently implemented a new rule that is basically if it isn't Apple they won't even bother to test if it powers on. If it is apple then they power it on and sell it "as-is." So, that has opened a big section of free computers to me now. I just go round the back at the drop off and pick up section and ask if they have any computers they saved for me. Usually they have a couple three dells (thinks Beefy Computer), custom built and older stuff. I get to pick what I want and then tell them where to recycle the rest. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Just make sure you know if the item is on public property or if you have permission to do so.

computergeek92 wrote:

Which US States allow people to pick through anything at local dumps and take it home? I'm soon going to be traveling through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and possibly Georgia on my way to Florida. Some say trash picking helps the local dumps because they would have to pay to dump the stuff and the environment can be helped by reducing landfill E-waste by taking PCs home. Please share any info soon. Thanks a bunch.

It's not that simple.
There are also City and County laws to consider.
.

Your best bet is to get permission first, in fact asking not only will keep you out of trouble but you might get some leads on places to look for computers. But in most places if its out on the side of the road anyone can take it.

If you ask me your better off talking to a attorney with a question like this.

saturn wrote:

If you ask me your better off talking to a attorney with a question like this.

And how much are these "free" parts going to cost after you pay the attorney?

dosquest wrote:

Where I live if its out on the street its considered public property. If it is in a dumpster make sure the dumpster is on public property, IE: City park or on the street/curb. If the dumpster is locked then its a big no-no. I mainly get computers from the thrift shops. One of the ones I frequent recently implemented a new rule that is basically if it isn't Apple they won't even bother to test if it powers on. If it is apple then they power it on and sell it "as-is." So, that has opened a big section of free computers to me now. I just go round the back at the drop off and pick up section and ask if they have any computers they saved for me. Usually they have a couple three dells (thinks Beefy Computer), custom built and older stuff. I get to pick what I want and then tell them where to recycle the rest. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Just make sure you know if the item is on public property or if you have permission to do so.

Is that the OEM from the game Left 4 dead? They have some old PC's in there and I used to look at them in the safe room 😀
Anyway I have had a guy take a picture of my license plate over trying to take a multimeter out of the dump. I doubt I'd get arrested (who knows these days though) over a stupid old multimeter but I put it back and apologized. I still can take stuff, just not when he's working.

PCBONEZ wrote:

saturn wrote:

If you ask me your better off talking to a attorney with a question like this.

And how much are these "free" parts going to cost after you pay the attorney?

Not going to jail for 3 to 5 years...
Depending on the attorney if could be around 100$ to 500$ some more some less.

saturn wrote:

PCBONEZ wrote:

saturn wrote:

If you ask me your better off talking to a attorney with a question like this.

And how much are these "free" parts going to cost after you pay the attorney?

Not going to jail for 3 to 5 years...
Depending on the attorney if could be around 100$ to 500$ some more some less.

They aren't going to pay to feed you for 3 to 5 years for picking trash.
- Haven't you heard? They release rapists and murders early because they can't afford to keep them locked up.
At most you'd get a ticket and more likely just a warning and maybe a little ass chewing.
.
The point was if you going to pay an attorney then you could just buy the parts (and smell better).
.

Depending on the law you're charge with and under which court you tried in you could. Unlikely, but better safe then sorry. You could be tried with theft, trusspassing, violation of privacy to name a few. If the computer were taken from federal property and your tried in a federal court you could spend hard time and the laws you could be tried under are much more serious. If it's state or country court then your most likely will only be fined. In the end, just get permission first. Also want adds go a long ways.

saturn wrote:

Depending on the law you're charge with and under which court you tried in you could. Unlikely, but better safe then sorry. You could be tried with theft, trusspassing, violation of privacy to name a few. If the computer were taken from federal property and your tried in a federal court you could spend hard time and the laws you could be tried under are much more serious. If it's state or country court then your most likely will only be fined. In the end, just get permission first. Also want adds go a long ways.

A good 1/3 of my family is in Law or Law Enforcement and that includes a Federal Judge I call "Dad".
I've been exposed to how legal things work my whole life. Including those matters "behind the scenes".
Quite certain I've spent more time eating dinner with Judges, DAs, Attorneys and cops (as guests, not family) than most people spend in a courtroom their entire life.
You're off in la la land on this (going to jail) but I'd rather leave you to your paranoid bliss than argue with you.
.
And I just hate it when people pass my truss.
.

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