How do I destroy my hard drive?

[9mmprincess]

My old one, that is. desktop circa 1998, ancient as the hills. I was going to throw it away, but I don't want anyone finding it, making it work, and going in and finding my stuff. it's a long shot, but it could still happen. so my question is, before I throw it away, what can I do to it physically to disable it so that the info on it can never be recovered?

tia

[YARDofSTUF]

You could build a giant sling shot and shoot it into the sun!


Or if your pressed for time, http://www.ariolic.com/activesmart/low-level-format.html

Low level format the drive, or any secure delete program.

[Bastid]

i figure a hammer would be quite effective or if ya wanna blow off some steam... Target practice FTW!:D

[Mark]

take the top off of it and remove the platers, take hammer to platers and smash them into little pieces.

or maybe drill some holes into the drive.

[Rivas]

Hammer Ftw ~! :d

[9mmprincess]

take the top off of it and remove the platers, take hammer to platers and smash them into little pieces.

or maybe drill some holes into the drive.

what are platers - what do they look like?

I can't use a secure delete program cos the puter doesn't turn on anymore. It's worked for ages tho, so I'm' thinking it's something minor - which makes me think that someone could find it and then make it work again.

I'd shoot it but I live in the city, if I discharge a gun anywhere ppl will call the cops.

Don't magnets ruin hard drives?

[CableDude]

what are platers - what do they look like?


http://www.detto.com/images-pm/hard-drive-parts.jpg

:)

[YARDofSTUF]

I'd shoot it but I live in the city, if I discharge a gun anywhere ppl will call the cops.

Take it for a drive and whack it :rotfl:

[CableDude]

Just drive over it with a truck.

[Sava700]

I usually keep my old ones for when I go skeet shooting.. it flings out pretty good from the thrower! :thumb:

[YeOldeStonecat]

On the easy side of things..many free programs out there you can download...that will erase the drive beyond safe specs.

On the literal side of things...unscrew the cover...take some tools such as pliers, hammer, beefy screwdriver...and snap the platters.

[9mmprincess]

http://www.detto.com/images-pm/hard-drive-parts.jpg

:)

Thank you :)


Take it for a drive and whack it :rotfl:

lol. the harddrive sleeps with the fishes :cool:


Just drive over it with a truck.

If I had a truck, I would ;)

[9mmprincess]

On the easy side of things..many free programs out there you can download...that will erase the drive beyond safe specs.


what are platers - what do they look like?

I can't use a secure delete program cos the puter doesn't turn on anymore.


On the literal side of things...unscrew the cover...take some tools such as pliers, hammer, beefy screwdriver...and snap the platters.

will do... will report back on my progress tomorrow.

[YeOldeStonecat]

If you have another computer available...you can slave this failed computers hard drive to it..will show up as drive letter D or E or something..and be available through My Computer. Can wipe it from there.

[CableDude]

If you have another computer available...you can slave this failed computers hard drive to it..will show up as drive letter D or E or something..and be available through My Computer. Can wipe it from there.


Yeah, I was going to suggest this as well.

[lonewolfz28]

No need to go overboard, just put an IBM Deskstar sticker on it.:p :rotfl:


Seriously though, if you take it apart with a small screwdriver(or tip of a steak knife) and drop check the open drive on the concrete a half dozen times nobody's going to bother trying to get it to work again just to see what's on it. Scratch up the platters on the concrete really good and they couldn't get anything off it anyways.:thumb:

[Shinobi]

Hi,
Well.. if you want to be sure.. you can go this way. This basically matches what a lot of data security companies do, other then "melting" the hard drive. :)
Hook up the drive in question, in your computer. It would be a good idea to disconnect the other ones for the time being so that only the drive in question, is set as a "single master"

Then download and make this "darik's boot & nuke" bootable CD or bootable floppy disk or USB drive.
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
This free program matches or beats all overwrite functions of other comerical software.

Choose one of the longer overwrite functions (NOTE: start early in the day, and keep your computer on till it's done.)

After that, take some needle nose pliers and pull the pins on that are on hard drive that the hard drive cable goes into.
After that, take 2 to 4 big nails and "hammer" them straight thru the drive.

Very Happy!
Now you should be all set. :D

[Mark]

you could always do what i did to a few dead drives, was fun i tell ya :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-RyF5Z7bgU

[Noevo]

we have a special tool here at work that we use. It's got a very high rate of effectiveness.

3lb sledge :thumb:

[zooner]

Hi,
Well.. if you want to be sure.. you can go this way. This basically matches what a lot of data security companies do, other then "melting" the hard drive. :)
Hook up the drive in question, in your computer. It would be a good idea to disconnect the other ones for the time being so that only the drive in question, is set as a "single master"

Then download and make this "darik's boot & nuke" bootable CD or bootable floppy disk or USB drive.
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
This free program matches or beats all overwrite functions of other comerical software.

Choose one of the longer overwrite functions (NOTE: start early in the day, and keep your computer on till it's done.)

After that, take some needle nose pliers and pull the pins on that are on hard drive that the hard drive cable goes into.
After that, take 2 to 4 big nails and "hammer" them straight thru the drive.

Very Happy!
Now you should be all set. :D

my perfered method as well.

I run that, then toss them into a local creek.

[frisco]

Oxy-acetylene torch, too simple...
Also works with gun barrels that are never to be seen again...