How to do a total erasing of HDD, so I can throw it out?

[Denvers Dawgs]

I have an old harddrive that I'm going to get rid of. How can I make sure that no important information could be retrieved from the drive if someone were to take it from trash/recycle?

[garry]

Some very big magnets can be useful....... but do not put them away nearyour current HD.

Then apply the hammer, like so...

[redwudz]

You can find several security programs that do multiple erases and replace the data with random 1's and 0's.

Eraser is freeware and does a good job. http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/ Go to the Download page there.

But garry is right. If you want a 100% secure method of cleaning the drive, physical destruction is the best way.

Edit: BTW, I think he was just kidding about the magnet part. Don't ever try a bulk tape eraser or a strong magnet near a hard drive to try to erase it. It will do a lot more than erase it, it will likely destroy it. Then you might as well use the hammer next.

[Denvers Dawgs]

ok....what I think I'm going to do now, is just keep that Harddrive and just use Eraser freeware and give that drive to my sis to use as a second drive to store here photos/music on.

[Prot]

To absolutely make sure that no one can retrieve any information off of it, destroy the drive.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

[JSB1]

Some large coperations are requires to drill holes through the drives...
But I would recommend this:





JSB

[drjtech]

The easiest way is to just leave the drive in the computer and use one of these:

SSI's Quad™ shredder processing computers

-drj

[isogonic]

you can download utilites from the hd manufacters web site that will do a low level reformat of the drive, very slow process though. as said the only way to really wipe a drive is to physically destroy it

[thevoelk]

Incinerate it. That's what we do at work for our Sensitive but Unclassified and Classified drives. We have a utility that can retrieve data from drives that the utilities from WD, Maxtor, etc have been used on.

[Denvers Dawgs]

I'm just going to use the Eraser freeware and give that drive to my sis to use as a second drive to store here photos/music on.

Thaks for all the help....

Problem Solved....

[Xylob the Destroyer]

why don't you just keep it and use it as an additional storage drive?

[Treebeard]

Windows Washer will clean a drive

[adam]

Just let my wife use it for about a week. I guarantee it will be fried by then. Its uncanny.

[budz]

Just let my wife use it for about a week. I guarantee it will be fried by then. Its uncanny.

That's a good one!!!!

[lordsmurf]

FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!



Char it good.

[jollyjohn]

Smash it with a hammer mete. open it up and break the platters. You could also use the good ball-bearings from inside for special projects. It's the best solution. There is nothing that will erase a HD.
John

[TooLFooL]

keep the magnets too!

[GullyFoyle]

http://www.unitednuclear.com/magnets.htm

.5 times stronger than our previous Supermagnets.

If you really need unbelievably powerful magnets, here they are.
Uses include magnetic steering of nuclear particles in homemade accelerators, levitation devices, magnetic beam amplifiers, scrap iron separators, etc.
Beware - you must think ahead when moving these magnets.
If carrying one into another room, carefully plan the route you will be taking. Computers & monitors will be affected in an entire room. Loose metallic objects and other magnets may become airborne and fly considerable distances - and at great speed - to attach themselves to this magnet. If you get caught in between the two, you can get injured.
Two of these magnets close together can create an almost unbelievable magnetic field that can be very dangerous. Of all the unique items we offer for sale, we consider these two items the most dangerous of all. Our normal packing & shipping personnel refuse to package these magnets - our engineers have to do it. This is no joke and we cannot stress it strongly enough - that you must be extremely careful - and know what you're doing with these magnets. Take Note: Two of the 3" x 1" disc magnets can very easily break your arm if they get out of control.
Axially Magnetized (the top & bottom flat faces are the north & south poles).
We can only ship these magnets by ground UPS - they cannot be shipped via air as it will interfere with the aircraft's navigational equipment.

These magnets are rated at Grade N45 - the most powerful there is.
Ni-Cu-Ni Plated with Matte finish.
Click on images for larger pictures.

2" x 1" Supermagnet Disc (pack of 1): $75.00
3" x 1" Supermagnet Disc (pack of 1): $100.00

[TooLFooL]

JESUS! no i dont need that! good price, though. i bet you could use that to destroy the HD...

[redwudz]

A little off topic, but I remember a year or so ago that a patient was killed by a oxygen bottle while getting a MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in a hospital. The bottle was inadvertently left in the room. The magnetic force was so strong in the room that the steel bottle was propelled off the floor and stuck the patient in the head when the MRI was energized.

Around atomic particle accelerators you have to remove all metal objects like watches and jewelery and glasses to go near the superconductor magnets or the objects can end up being high speed missiles.

I want to make it clear that bringing a strong magnet near a hard drive or any magnetic drive can destroy the drive, not just erase it. How do they put that?, 'Don't do this at home, kids'.

[mrtristan]

The easiest and most hassle free way would be to physically destroy it. They're relatively easy to take apart with a screw driver and if you're intending to break it, you don't have to worry about being delicate.

[GullyFoyle]

Just seeing the magnet makes me want to buy a couple.
Unfortunately I don't have the room right now.
But someday
BWAHAHAHAHA

[sitlet]

call me simple, but cant you just use a freeware program to write 0's to the drive? as long as you write 0's to the whole drive, anthing that was on it will be overwritten and destroyed right?