Best way to destroy a hard drive?

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FOBSIDE

Platinum Member
Mar 16, 2000
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I have a hard drive, which is about to go into the trash. I don't know why it's going into the trash, but I was asked to destroy the data on it. What is the best way to destroy it so the data is definitely not recoverable? Physically ripping apart the hard drive seems like a hard task. Would submerging it in water do anything? I've heard you have to have a pretty big magnet to even try to damage a hard drive. So, what do you all suggest?

Thanks for any help.
 
M

MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
45,885
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take a sledge hammer, run it over a few times. throw it onto the highway and drag it behind ur car. massive magnet + other ways, chainsaw. drop it from empire state building, take it apart and slowly scratch each disc to pieces and then burn it. throw some gas on it and light it up, see what it burns like, format it, and use it as your own HD.

what size HD is it? if its of any size bigger than 4 gigs, and workable i will take it.

MIKE
 
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MrBond

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2000
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I don't think it's that difficult to pop apart a drive and physically damage the platters.

Submerged in water drives CAN be recovered I think. If someone wants the data bad enough, there are data recovery companies that can do all kinds of black magic to recover a drive's data.

I'd take the drive apart, break the platters, and dispose of hald of the pieces in your trash and the other half in a public trash can (ie: mcdonalds/park/etc).

But that'd only be if I was REALLY paranoid about the security of the data. I've never had anything of that sort on my drive and I probably never will :)
 
S

sharkeeper

Lifer
Jan 13, 2001
10,886
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Drill a hole in the top and fill the cavity with pyrodex. Get a merry midget light bulb from your x-mas tree, snip the top of the bulb off with dikes. Connect the lamp end to a (long) piece of speaker or lamp cord. Put the disk (now a bØmb) as far from your house as possible. Insert bulb in the hole you drilled and cover with duct tape. Connect other end of cord to your stereo. Crank up something. Metallica seems appropriate. Listen for boom. Task complete. :)

-DAK-
 
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MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
45,885
66
91
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
Drill a hole in the top and fill the cavity with pyrodex. Get a merry midget light bulb from your x-mas tree, snip the top of the bulb off with dikes. Connect the lamp end to a (long) piece of speaker or lamp cord. Put the disk (now a bØmb) as far from your house as possible. Insert bulb in the hole you drilled and cover with duct tape. Connect other end of cord to your stereo. Crank up something. Metallica seems appropriate. Listen for boom. Task complete. :)

-DAK-
Click to expand...

um uve dun this b4 i assume? lol

MIKE
 
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snailophone

Member
May 26, 2003
65
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why dont you just take it apart? i am sure the platters would be nice nerd-memorabilia. I have an old pentium 1 chip and 4" B&W television tube decorating my workspace.
 
L

LikeLinus

Lifer
Jul 25, 2001
11,518
670
126
Originally posted by: FOBSIDE
I have a hard drive, which is about to go into the trash. I don't know why it's going into the trash, but I was asked to destroy the data on it. What is the best way to destroy it so the data is definitely not recoverable? Physically ripping apart the hard drive seems like a hard task. Would submerging it in water do anything? I've heard you have to have a pretty big magnet to even try to damage a hard drive. So, what do you all suggest?

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

You are now an accomplice. Good luck in Federal Pound me in the Ass Prison.
 
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Barnaby W. Füi

Elite Member
Aug 14, 2001
12,343
0
0
If you go with one of the demolition ideas, make sure to not only break the platters, but destroy the ENTIRE surface of them. Very damaging info can be in just a few bytes of text, and a few bytes on the face of a hard disk platter is pretty miniscule in size.
 
S

Sheriff

Golden Member
Mar 14, 2001
1,182
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LOL so much Parinoia around...Slam it on the ground, give it to the local Recycler, they'll melt it and use the Metal ;)
 
F

FOBSIDE

Platinum Member
Mar 16, 2000
2,178
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0
Originally posted by: LikeLinus


You are now an accomplice. Good luck in Federal Pound me in the Ass Prison.
Click to expand...

Ha! This data belonged to a client. I just need to make sure the data is gone.
 
Texun

Texun

Platinum Member
Oct 21, 2001
2,058
1
81
If the drive contains data that requires such extreme security measures then I wouldn't want it in my hands. RUN!!!!!!!!!

Start checking out places like Norway or Iceland for possible relocation.

 
J

JustAnAverageGuy

Diamond Member
Aug 1, 2003
9,057
0
76
Take hard drive apart as much as possible, (insert extra demolition sledgehammer for effect), put hard drive contents in non-flammable metallic case. Fill with flammable liquid (preferrably gasoline), ignite liquid, let burn.

Collect remains, put in plastic container, puncture 1-2 holes in container, tie rope around container. Attach rope to cinderblock. Dump in middle of local lake at deepest spot. Let sink.

===================

Zero write the drive, keep it.

 
F

FOBSIDE

Platinum Member
Mar 16, 2000
2,178
0
0
Originally posted by: SpeedFreak03
You should just write zeros to the drive and keep it as your own ;).
Click to expand...

I think the drive is no longer bootable or else I wouldn't be asked to destroy it. Like I said, physically destroying the drive is too much work. Dropping it into water is simple, but apparently doesn't work.
 
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