I guess this is sort of a dumb question. Here I am with past years' ext hdd's, cd's, etc. I've never had any reason to go back and use any of this stuff--even from the bonus paks. My question is, What do I do with this stuff? I can't legally sell it or even give it away. I guess I could turn the drives in for electronic disposal to be green? (whatever that means in reality). What's everybody else doing? thanks.
I know of no laws here in the states that prevent a citizen from selling any hardware that they own. Not yet, anyway.
A good thing that we can do with old hardware is to donate to thrift stores, Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. and you can also ask for a receipt to be used for income tax deduction purposes as well. There may be someone in need of that stuff that is older, never know.
With hard drives, though, I won't let one get out of my hands that hasn't been erased in full and run a program that rewrites all to zeros. Otherwise, I just drill a couple of 1/4" holes through the entire drive and through the platters, and dispose of it. This is to protect things like passwords, credit card numbers, personal info, etc. Don't let that get away from you, the baddies that will take advantage of such are everywhere, unfortunately.
Not so long ago I had to get rid of nearly a dozen dead or obsolete PCs. I hated the thought of putting them in the trash. I was fortunate to run across a Native-American-owned recycler in my area (Federal Recyclers, Marietta, Georgia) who specializes in computers and hardware. They reclaim the metals and as much else as possible. NOTHING goes into a landfill. He is also supremely ethical in the matter of hard drives, cell phones, and the like; he makes sure that no personal information gets loose. Look around for someone equally green--they're out there. And take Mac's advice on destroying the drives. You'd be amazed at what can be recovered, even from a notionally formatted HD.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Whenever I've trashed hard drives, which has been somewhat rare - I keep them on a shelf, I've used it as a lesson to my kids as to how they work (if I can get the case open in a reasonable time).
There is a bit of magic for them seeing the platters and the tiny little read/write heads on the arms - and telling them that all of the music, photos, school assignments, etc. actually exist as little magnetic deviations on the platters and the little arms are what put them there and read them off.
Then we take it out to the driveway and get the 2 lb sledge and I tell them to have fun beating the living daylights out of it! I tell them to make sure that each of the platters is bent all to pieces. I've done this with 2 of my 4 kids. They learn and then they have fun (hopefully the learning was fun also).
Scott, you can also use this as an opportunity to teach your kids how to use an electric drill. Just punch a few holes right through the platters and that should do it.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Rather than drilling holes in a used HD or smashing it with a hammer, use a program that writes 'random' zeros and ones over and over again.
There is an open source Windows app called "eraser": Eraser is an advanced security tool for Windows that allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns. The patterns used for overwriting are based on Peter Guttmann's paper Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory and are selected to effectively remove magnetic remnants from the hard drive. Other methods include the one defined in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual of the U.S. Department of Defense, and overwriting with pseudorandom data. You can also define your own overwriting methods.
There is another I used for Mac, but I forget it's name.
After running a program like this, I can give the drive away to someone who can use it without fear of having my personal data revealed.
But I wouldn't give away or sell the drive with BiaB data on it unless I got written permission from Peter Gannon. It's a "do unto others" thing as well as a copyright thing.
Whenever I've trashed hard drives, which has been somewhat rare - I keep them on a shelf, I've used it as a lesson to my kids as to how they work (if I can get the case open in a reasonable time).
There is a bit of magic for them seeing the platters and the tiny little read/write heads on the arms - and telling them that all of the music, photos, school assignments, etc. actually exist as little magnetic deviations on the platters and the little arms are what put them there and read them off.
There is a rather popular hack that I have used with kids in the summer school program. All you need is an old hard drive, platter does not even have to be able to spin, because all that is used is the headarm and its magnetic motor movement. And a low level and cheap laser pen pointer.
Locate the two connections to one of the two coils that move the head arm, found at the end of the flexy, disconnect from the drive's electronics and connect to the + and - speaker terminals of any small audio amplifier.
Now the headarm will move in response to any audio or music played through the amplifier.
Attach a small piece of glass mirror to the head end of the headarm using superglue.
Figure out a way to mount the laser pointer such that it is pointing at the headarm mirror. I use rubber bands to do that.
And, with the lights dimmed, you have a laser lightshow:
More than just watching the pattern that music makes, if you hook up a small mixer and microphone to the amplifier, the kids juswt love to see the patterns they can generate with their own voice.
The one thing that they sometimes can't wrap around is that this is an ANALOG situation and not Digital. Great time to show the difference and explain. At my summer school classes, that's when we get to delve off into an old record turntable, a few old records, and our tone arm and amplifier becomes a sewing needle taped to the corner of a piece of printer paper handheld above the spinning record. And they hear the sound of the record. Then I use one of my laptops and SP/DIF output to let them hear the digital sound of an mp3 file using a song the kids love at the time, and let them hear the digital nasty instead of the actual sound. That leads off into their first delvings into the 1's and zeros thang.
ADULT SUPERVISION on this one at all times, you must ot let them ever try to shine laser light directly into their own or other children's eyes. I pocket the little laser pointer and also disconnect the leads from coil to speaker, taking the alligator leads with me. That way, they can't start it up without resorting to a rather lot of procurement and learning first, avoids that happening when I'm not around.
Thanks for all the input. I don't think that I made myself clear. I'm only referring to my outdated PG Music drives and cds. I was hopefully thinking that maybe someone was recycling them. I don't think that I have any personal info on them. I run the main pgm from the pc and have all the styles, rd's, and rt's on the little ext. hds. I also have some small ext. hds and one large one. I'm not getting rid of any of those. If I wipe the drives, I don't think that PG Music would care how they are disposed of. I'll look into wiping them though. There are some places that buy used electronic stuff. I could probably just give them away to friends and family.
For outdated pgmusic issued hard drives, I think you could safely just reformat and then sell or give away.
I have wiped a couple and use them for backups, transfers, etc.
--Mac
Thanks Mac. That sounds like the most practical solution. For the disks, a couple of times I bought some top kits and turned some parts on my lathe for tops. They actually spin pretty good, too.
I believe that if you purchased the FULL version of BIAB on a HD you can indeed sell it to someone.
I recently asked PG Support and was told that there is an IMPLIED license with the purchase of PG software, so selling the product(s) terminates your relationship with PG. I use the old drives for specific archival storage such as OTR (Old Time Radio) and mp3 music archives..
I believe that if you purchased the FULL version of BIAB on a HD you can indeed sell it to someone.
I recently asked PG Support and was told that there is an IMPLIED license with the purchase of PG software, so selling the product(s) terminates your relationship with PG. I use the old drives for specific archival storage such as OTR (Old Time Radio) and mp3 music archives..
Agreed. Just having a hyperthetical discussion here. let's say I bought 2012 EP for Full price $569 and I sold it for $400. Yes indeed my relationship with PG is over. I no longer have the software. I then take my $400 & add another $169 to it and again buy a full 2013 version for $569. The new version in essence only would cost me the $169 and I do not believe I'd be in violation of anything.It costs $399 to upgrade from 2012 to 2013 if you don't get in on the early sale.The sale is $199. I wouldn't want to bother with this but I think you legally could.
Agreed. Just having a hyperthetical discussion here. let's say I bought 2012 EP for Full price $569 and I sold it for $400. Yes indeed my relationship with PG is over. I no longer have the software. I then take my $400 & add another $169 to it and again buy a full 2013 version for $569. The new version in essence only would cost me the $169 and I do not believe I'd be in violation of anything.It costs $399 to upgrade from 2012 to 2013 if you don't get in on the early sale.The sale is $199. I wouldn't want to bother with this but I think you legally could.
I agree with this scenario as you are essentially buying a NEW full system/version and not upgrading your (now sold and no longer your's) license .....
Last edited by CountryTrash; 08/19/1302:23 AM.
I'm doing allright for Country Trash ....
I used to care, but things have changed (Bob Dylan)
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
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2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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