DVD -Methods for Destruction

[incredidome]

How do you people destroy your DVD's once they are no longer needed, assuming you have sensitive data you don't want a garbage digger to discover?

I scribble permanent black marker all over the back.

Question 1: Does this marker idea even prevent someone from reading it or fixing it to read the data? Can the laser read through black permanent marker?

Question 2: Down at rumormill I have heard that slamming it HARD on a flat surface, several times, flattens out the pits and lands of the DVD. IS THIS TRUE?

FINAL Question: What is the best way to render a DVD useless without breaking (and having 1000 shards fly everywhere) or shredding it (costing money)?

Thanks.

[Bodyslide]

I use a drill and make holes throughout the disc.

[jagabo]

A few seconds in a microwave oven. It stinks though!

[daamon]

How do you people destroy your DVD's once they are no longer needed, assuming you have sensitive data you don't want a garbage digger to discover?

I use a number of methods, depending on the day / week I've had:

1) Hold disc inside a bin and then break - there's still 1000's of shards, but they all go in the bin.
2) Chuck it on a fire.
3) A few seconds in the microwave - and it looks awesome too. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!!! SERIOUSLY - It's dangerous and can ruin a perfectly good microwave. You have been warned...

Question 1: Does this marker idea even prevent someone from reading it or fixing it to read the data? Can the laser read through black permanent marker?

Don't know - I use more destructive rather than preventative methods.

Question 2: Down at rumormill I have heard that slamming it HARD on a flat surface, several times, flattens out the pits and lands of the DVD. IS THIS TRUE?

Don't know - I use more destructive rather than preventative methods.

FINAL Question: What is the best way to render a DVD useless without breaking (and having 1000 shards fly everywhere) or shredding it (costing money)?

See 1 above, a smarter approach - or 2 and 3 above.

[TheUnknownComic]

I cut deep scratches in the surface with a knife. Mostly concentric to the center but spiraling out slightly. Then again, I don't really have much of a sensitive nature to worry about.

[jimmalenko]

Use a flat head screw driver (or scissors) to make a few nice big deep scratches across the burnt surface. Make sure you make plenty of "cuts" near the inner ring (this is where the Table Of Contents is stored on the disc).

[CrayonEater]

Most inks are invisible to specific light frequencies, so I don't think using a marker is very secure. And hitting a DVD to "flatten the pits" is something I've never heard, but I don't think it would work either. That *might* work with a pressed disc, but I don't think you'll flatten anything. If you've rendered a disc unreadable this way, it's probably because you've scratched it enough to get most readers to reject it.

daamon's methods are about as secure as you can get, though I'll add that a power sander works too.

[kschang]

Isn't there a shredder that'll do CD's and DVD's? Or was I barking up the wrong tree?

[lordsmurf]

I put the disc sideways in that crack in the sidewalk and then smash it with a sledge hammer. I sweep up the pieces and put it in the trashcan.

All you have to do is oxydize the dye layer.

[jimmalenko]

Isn't there a shredder that'll do CD's and DVD's? Or was I barking up the wrong tree?

... or shredding it ...

[TBoneit]

I run mine through the shredder. Both my brother and I have shredders that will shred CDs/DVDs and handle 10 sheets of paper at a time. All my sensative data such as Credit cvard bills go through the shredder.

[mikel]

pruning shears

[tweedledee]

Before smashing the DVD you first place it in a plastic bag. this keeps the pieces from going everywhere.

[redwudz]

Definitely be careful breaking them with your bare hands, pieces fly everywhere. I favor the microwave, 3 seconds, no more, no less in mine. I ran 40 DVDs through it in about a half hour with no permanent damage to the oven. Lots of little aluminum flakes everywhere, though. A shredder is probably the best method. Most office stores sell them. Handy to have for credit cards and old bills besides.

[Nelson37]

Fire would be my preferred method.

Depending on how sensitive this data is, meaning really how much trouble someone might want to go to to retrieve it, pieces of disk could well contain undamaged data.

There are cases of data being retrieved from shredded documents, by piecing them back together. That's why very sensitive stuff is shredded, then burned.

The slamming thing gave me a real good laugh. First, burned disks have no pits, just areas of chemical change which are not susceptible to impact damage. Second, that's just stupid. Like trying to erase your fingerprints by tapping your fingers on a table.

[sacajaweeda]

Microwave oven.

[Marvingj]

I Second the microwave!!!

[laspis59]

Putting the disc into a plastic bag and snapping,therefore shattering the disc into many fragments is the most easiest and safest way.Who is going to be able to put all those pieces back together and make the disc readable.
I dont think I would want to risk the microwave method.

[Pixel Land]

I send 'em to Chuch Norris, and let him roundhouse kick them into oblivion.

Seriously: Twenty or so really deep scratches, from center to outter edge with a screwdriver.

[laspis59]

Make sure if you are going to scratch the disc then do it near the inner ring like jimmalenko mentioned.
The disc wont even load then.
If you only do it at the centre and outer edge,the disc will still load.

[etcolson]

Believe it or not the shiny foil side is the hardest to repair to perfection - since I moved to Mexico and all the walls everywhere seem to be concrete - a firm pressure against the concrete wall on the foil side and slide it around (let modern art be your inspiration) makes beautiful shiny ornament with swirlys - then for good measure scratch the other side, however I have used a machine back in the US to recover kids video games that would polish back out some pretty deep scratches.

[cyflyer]

Unless you're Brat Pitt and Angelina Jolie disposing of photos of your new born baby I wouldn't worry too much about people rumaging through garbage for your dvds. However if I was Mr Pitt/Jolie a few good digs with a screwdriver should do it.

[hrlslcbr]

Use a screwdriver to scratch the top of it so the reflective layer comes off. Then burn it/scratch it/smash it with a sledge hammer... well you get the idea. Or use the microwave oven as many have suggested.

[TBoneit]

except that on DVDs the reflective layer is in the middle of the disk not on top like a CD.

To damage the reflective layer with a scratch you would have to gouge more than halfway through the disc.

Easier way Heavy duty shredder. Next probably totally secure way, Being very careful not to slice your hand up, use a sharp blade such as a razor knife to split the layers of the DVD. Once air hits and you can split the DVD into top and bottom layers you could do whatever you want with the center layer that has your data on it. I Suggest Leather Gloves and Eye protection if you go this route.

I also don't want to take a chance on damaging the Microwave by using it to destroy DVDs.

Shredded DVDs and CDs make a really neat confetti.

[jagabo]

If you've never destroyed a DVD in a microwave you should try it. Put the DVD in a plastic bag (so it doesn't smell so bad) and give it 2 or 3 seconds. The result is pretty spectacular. If you're worried about the microwave put a glass of water in with the DVD.

[byteguy]

Tin-snips; cheap, easy, chop disks into bits without having pieces go everywhere.

Plus, they make a really cool "scruch, scruch" sound.

For really sensitive data I toss 90% of the destroyed disk in the bin and leave the extra sliver on my workbench for a couple of weeks,.

[CobraPilot]

Wonder what would happen if you left a DVDR or CDR in the bright sunlight, data side up? There are warnings galore about NOT doing so . . . .

Sounds like a good "CSI-like" experiment for someone:

Take a disc and expose it to sunlight for increasingly longer duration until it's no longer readable, and take note of the time it took to reach that point.

If it takes 5-15 minutes, might be an easy way to destroy a disc (adding a little extra time just to be sure); if it takes hours, get out the sledgehammer, scratch-it device, or microwave!

[Koleman]

I once tried using Goo-On (or Goop-Off) gum remover or what ever you use it for. It seememd to melt the plastic layer of the disc good.

[mikel]

lay it down on the sidewalk and shuffle about on it.