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

[murphys-lawyer.livejournal.com]

If you can get them open with a screwdriver or the like, you will spend far less effort hitting the platters directly.

Otherwise, a large hammer and a cold chisel to punch through the case and the platters.

Do you have an old barbecue? Get a good charcoal glow and pop the platters on top until everything's cooled down (not recommended for the full drive because of plastic bits and other things that IIRC give off rather nasty chemicals...

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

Unscrew the casing, remove the platter(s),drill them, drive nails through them, or use a power sander on them. Wear safety goggles, as there will be shards.

Do *not* microwave or burn them (the former will risk setting your microwave alight, and the latter may leave some data recoverable.)

[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.

[murphys-lawyer.livejournal.com]

Concur on the microwave (unless you want to get rid of that as well...)

As for burning, yes, you might get something back off the platters, but the cost of getting it back will deter most folks.

Go for nails and burning, why don't you?

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

Actually, toasting them the way Paul Hogan used to make toast on his 80s sketch show would be good- nail to stone wall, apply blowtorch....

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

Here in San Diego there are electronics recycling outlets, including one or two that say they will destroy your data storage media before your eyes. You might call around and see if your area has any of that sort of thing.

However, what I did with my old computers—the ones I didn't have any intention of reviving or passing on—was to open them up, take out the hard drives in their cases, and then simply mutilate the connector slots, so that all the prongs were bent or broken. A spy agency certainly could salvage that, but a petty criminal who's hoping to steal economically valuable data isn't going to go for something that takes a bunch of extra work. And then I took them to the generic electronics recycling outlet and dumped them in.

Really, my feeling is that with most sorts of casual crime, you can't make yourself immune; you can just make yourself less convenient, and thus send most criminals off to look for an easier target. It's the same reason I had a padlock on my garage, even though a serious criminal could have pried it off in two minutes.

[nelc.livejournal.com]

Get an external USB-to-SATA/IDE interface, mount the disks, then set them to security wipe.

Alternatively, drill holes through them. Or drill holes in the case, fill them full of water, then let them drain and rust for a few days.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

They're non-working as far as I can tell, can't wipe them. I _think_ I did wipe the larger ones when I took them out of use but I'm not 100% sure and now I can't check.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

You're probably right - this is not anything major, it's just me wanting to comply with the data protection act.

[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.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I live in an upstairs flat so no barbecue, of the suggestions I've seen so far smashing the electronics is probably enough to comply with the law, so I'll probably go with that.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Think I'll just smash the electronics as suggested by another comment - it's probably enough to meet the legalities.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Bury them in your garden?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I'm in an upper flat, and they wouldn't be good for plants I think.

[armb.livejournal.com]

You should do a comparison test of the methods on http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2009/08/20/pc-pros-top-10-hard-disk-destruction-methods/ and put the resulting videos on YouTube for our amusement.
I'm sure you still have the necessary contacts to obtain thermite and use it somewhere safe :-)

(Spell-check thinks I should want to destroy disks with "termite". There's a scary thought....)