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How to ensure HDD is dead and erased?

S

Sepen

Diamond Member
I have a WD10EADS 1TB hdd that was working perfectly until the other day when it would make a knocking sound (about 10 of them). It can't be seen by WIN7, I have tried the WD utility and others and it doesn't show. (it was backed up)

I would like to rma it but it has tons of personal and business info on it. What do I do to make sure none of that can be retrieved in any way? Is it even worth rma'ing and should I just take a hammer to it?

Thanks.
 
We used to do this for hipaa compliance. Do a low level format on the drive, then take a drill to it. 3 holes through the drive in a triangular pattern around the spindle. It satisfied the gov't.
 
Sepen said:
I would like to rma it but it has tons of personal and business info on it. What do I do to make sure none of that can be retrieved in any way? Is it even worth rma'ing and should I just take a hammer to it?
Click to expand...
You're stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Which is more valuable to you...
Your privacy or the 1TB HD?
 
I'd personally secure erase it 2 or 3 times ideally with 00 11 and then random bits
Finally TrueCrypt the whole drive

I don't see how one can retrive any imformation even with magnetic foresic tools
 
AnnihilatorX said:
I'd personally secure erase it 2 or 3 times ideally with 00 11 and then random bits Finally TrueCrypt the whole drive
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, how would that be done if the drive is dead and cannot be "seen" by the computer?
 
Right my bad.

I think a good idea in the future if op is going to store sensitive data on a PC, HDDs should have been encrypted with TrueCrypt or BitLocker, then you don't have to worry about it when HDD is dead or need replacing.
 
physically distroying a hdd is quite difficult, they're tough little things. i took an angle grinder through one once and it even put up a fight then.
 
HDDs are much easier to destroy with a screwdriver than with a hammer. A few twists with a torx screwdriver will have the platters out quite quickly.

Once that's done, just chuck the platters in the bin. The act of dissassembling a hard drive is enough to render it practically unrecoverable
 
Take it apart, make some artwork with the platters, then put the artwork somewhere within your sight in your house. Then get a Benelli and wait for the FBI to come knocking...
 
Before you kill the HD, save the motor, then sell it to the HD companies. 😉

All kidding aside, the motor can be quite useful if you like to tinker with things.
A hammer to the platters pretty much shatters them.
 
A cutting torch does a good job. Encryption is a good suggestion - would make all this less nrcessary.
 
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