what have you found is best way to destroy a old hard drive

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 10:57 am

so it can never be read again !
besides taking a sledge hammer or shot gun to it ?
what im asking best way so no one will ever get the data off it !

blade · Post by **blade** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 11:06 am

Low level format. It writes zeros and makes it just like a new blank drive.

You'll need a utlity from the hard drive maker. Usually in their download section.

VooDoo · Post by **VooDoo** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 2:41 pm

even if some one used fdisk on it

can it still hold doem data?

me

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 4:09 pm

PCALAN fire/sledge fest.

Greg

Busby · Post by **Busby** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 4:25 pm

Originally posted by blade
Low level format. It writes zeros and makes it just like a new blank drive.

You'll need a utlity from the hard drive maker. Usually in their download section.

Some people prefer to do it two times just to make sure. I think it takes 4 to really really work per Government standards or something.

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 5:13 pm

go after the exposed circuit board with a screwdriver. snap off some transistors, etc. that'll keep anyone but the FBI, etc from getting data off of the platters.

Shadow250 · Post by **Shadow250** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 8:07 pm

take the cover off and apply a belt sander with 120 grit belt to the platters

matt719 · Post by **matt719** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 8:17 pm

Hard drives are flakey... i would imagine opening the cover and breathing on it would do the trick

But seriously... the best way to make sure is scratch/bend/brake the platters (be creative).... take off a few transistors and some circuitry for good meassure. If someone really wants to see the data that badly, i think there is a problem

blade · Post by **blade** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 9:25 pm

Originally posted by VooDoo
even if some one used fdisk on it

can it still hold doem data?

me

Yes

With the right application, of course, one can dig up most that was even deleted. Only way is the low level format.

Augix · Post by **Augix** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 9:39 pm

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

smb · Post by **smb** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 12:11 am

Drill a hole thru it.

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 12:24 am

Originally posted by smb
Drill a hole thru it.

That's what I was gonna say.. Then use the platters for wind chimes..

NascarFool · Post by **NascarFool** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 12:39 am

Info can be recovered even after a low-level format. Been there done that.

A long time ago I did a low level format on the wrong drive. Fortunately, I found a data recovery program that found and saved all my MP3s. About 5% of them were beyond saving because I had started to install Win2K on the drive.

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 12:52 am

here is what my idea was to drill a small hole in the case and fill it with boric acid ! let it sit for a day or to and repeat ! what you think should this work !

DoPeY5007 · Post by **DoPeY5007** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 1:17 am

sit it in a bucket of salt water for a week, see what that does