Atmara
Level 1 (5 points)
iPad

Q: How to be sure no one can access data on a broken iPad

I have an old iPad that all trouble shooting by myself and chat tech support has determined has a hardware problem. Since it is old and not worth cost of the repair, I have ordered a new iPad to replace it and want to recycle this old one.

 

The problem is that while I can't get the old iPad to start up except in recover mode, it still has personal information on it that I don't want some tech savvy person to get a hold of if I ecycle it here where I live. Short of taking a hammer to it and smashing it to bits, is there anything I can do? I can't even see any way to open it so I can more gently physically break it's inner workings.

iPad, iOS 9.3.4

Posted on Sep 5, 2016 10:36 AM

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Atmara

Q: How to be sure no one can access data on a broken iPad

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  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Sep 5, 2016 10:49 AM in response to Atmara
    Level 7 (20,274 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 5, 2016 10:49 AM in response to Atmara

    If it starts up in Recovery Mode, you can completely erase it.

     

    What to do before selling or giving away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

  • by Atmara,

    Atmara Atmara Sep 5, 2016 11:27 AM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPad
    Sep 5, 2016 11:27 AM in response to Rysz

    Thanks for your response. I have already read the page you reference and can't see any way of using the info to erase it. Unfortunately, I never set up Find My Phone and I never made a backup because it has never left the house, and I don't store data on it, but use it to access things stored in my Dropbox or for connecting to the web with a browser and with other apps. (I will, of course, do these things with the new iPad having now had this experience).

     

    This is the only option itunes gives me in recovery mode:

    Screen Shot 2016-09-05 at 11.12.05 AM.png

    and both update and restore have failed numerous times after being tried on several different Macs. Thus the diagnosis of a hardware problem. Of course I can delete the device from the icloud list, change my password and credit card, change my router's password, but there still may be data on it I haven't thought of and don't want in anyone else's hands.

    Anything other suggestions?

    (I'm still leaning toward using the hammer)

    Is there any way to open the iPad case and get inside?

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Sep 5, 2016 12:04 PM in response to Atmara
    Level 6 (8,410 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 5, 2016 12:04 PM in response to Atmara

    Providing you had set a password on that iPad, all the information on it is encrypted. If you're unable to access it with iTunes or start it up directly, there's virtually no chance that anyone will be able to access your data.

  • by Atmara,

    Atmara Atmara Sep 5, 2016 12:26 PM in response to Esquared
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPad
    Sep 5, 2016 12:26 PM in response to Esquared

    No password on it as far as I can remember. As I said, it never left the house and I'm the only user. (will definitely put a password on the new iPad)

    Still favoring the hammer.

    Any other ideas?

  • by Skydiver119,

    Skydiver119 Skydiver119 Sep 5, 2016 12:33 PM in response to Atmara
    Level 7 (28,002 points)
    iPad
    Sep 5, 2016 12:33 PM in response to Atmara

    If you're that worried, use the hammer. If you can't get at it via recovery mode then the data likely isn't accessible to anyone else (barring some FBI or NSA level of data recovery), however there's something to be said for the peace of mind of knowing the data is gone. (I for one have a 20+ year old hard drive still down in the basement I removed from a computer I threw away years ago)

     

    If you want to try to get into the case, google it and see what shows up. I'm sure there are some YouTube videos

     

    Or a safer method than the hammer and it's flying glass can be to simply put it under the wheels of your car and run it over.

  • by Atmara,

    Atmara Atmara Sep 5, 2016 12:43 PM in response to Skydiver119
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPad
    Sep 5, 2016 12:43 PM in response to Skydiver119

    The car, now I hadn't thought of that! ;-) The broken glass might be a problem for the tires though.

    I did look on Youtube and opening one of these takes monumental work and patience.

    The hammer (first placing the iPad in a bag to catch broken glass) is sounding like the safest method.

    Thanks!

  • by Astyanax3,

    Astyanax3 Astyanax3 Sep 5, 2016 3:05 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPad
    Sep 5, 2016 3:05 PM in response to Rysz

    "Short of taking a hammer to it and smashing it to bits, is there anything I can do?"

     

     

    It worked well enough for Hillary so I don't see why it wouldn't be good enough for you if there's no other way.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Sep 5, 2016 3:09 PM in response to Astyanax3
    Level 9 (77,925 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 5, 2016 3:09 PM in response to Astyanax3

    When I sent a couple of old Macs to the skip some years back I did exactly that - extracted the had disks and took a hammer to them. Sometimes the most unsophisticated solution is the best one.