Destroying hard disks

[ffutures]

As part of the mega-clearout I've begun I want to get shot of some old hard disks - apparently dead, but for all I know the data can still be recovered, and they contained things like user registrations for Forgotten Futures. I don't think there's anything else particularly sensitive on them, but I'd prefer not to take a chance.

My main ideas for disposing of them are either to dismantle them with a large hammer or bake them for an hour or two and hope that erases the platters. I don't have a big electromagnet, which would be another obvious method. Any ideas?

Comments

[nojay.livejournal.com]

Take the drives apart, you'll get some nice strong fridge magnets from the head positioning system. If the discs are glass, be careful as they can shatter. Heat will erase the data by raising the substrate above the Curie point, about 200 to 300 deg C for the sort of magnetic coatings used. A BBQ will slag aluminium discs nicely as well as doing the Curie point thing.

If you can't be bothered with FIRE! and FLAME! and... sorry, then the nice magnets you got from the head positioning system can be wiped across the platter surfaces a few dozen times. After that you can safely drop them into your local recycling bin along with soft drinks cans etc.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I'll see how energetic I'm feeling. Smashing the electronics and leaving it at that is probably enough really, there's nothing on them that I would really worry about beyond ensuring I'm complying with the data protection act.