Destroying a hard drive

[Thomas Charron]

  I don't recall the name of the company, but there is a data
destruction company which will pick up your hard drive and shred it in
front of you in their truck.  :-)

On 7/11/07, Jim Kuzdrall <gnhlug at intrel.com> wrote:
>
>     What is the most efficient way to destroy the data on a hard drive
> before junking it?  Normal file erasure leaves the data intact.  Secure
> erasure or reformatting takes too much time, and the drive may not be
> working well enough to complete the operation.
>
>    Another quick method suggested is a sledge hammer, but that seems
> "hit-or-miss" (sorry).  Without opening the case one cannot confirm
> whether all of the platters have been sufficiently damaged.
>
>    Opening the drive and sanding, scratching, or bending the platters
> seems tedious.  Automated assembly uses non-reversible techniques such
> as press-fits, epoxy, rivets, etc. which may make it difficult to get
> at the surfaces.
>
>     Has anybody suggested a chemical solvent wash?  (Wash fluid disposal
> might possibly be a problem.)
>
>     Do the rather exotic magnetic coatings have a low enough Curie
> temperature to destroy the magnetization in an oven?  Our kitchen oven
> goes to 270C (520F) or so, but magnetite requires 560C.  Cobalt
> compounds are higher.  Using a Bernz-O-Matic torch would simplify
> disassembly - just remove the cover.
>
>     Not that I have anything to hide, you understand.  Just curious.
>
> Jim Kuzdrall
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>


-- 
-- Thomas