Unless you work on something that needs the kind of security, it is not worth destroying the HD (whether you are using shot gun or sand blast it). I'd just run those off the shelf free software once (or a few times if you are paranoid), and call it a day. Ideally you should use a software that wipes with random data pattern a few times so you cannot make out the previous residual data pattern. If you just write zeros to all data bits, analog analysis can still make out the slight difference between the bits from the previous write. This will get diluted a lot if you use random data pattern a few times to wipe.
Most data are not worth opening up a drive to analyze the residue magnetic data in analog to spy on. If you need that kind of security you most likely wouldn't be asking for advice here.
If they are going to go through that much effort, they can analyze your data even if you drill, shot, or hammer the drive. You'll have to sand blast all the magnetic surface of the platter and / or grind the platter to dust to really call it safe.
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Making a big deal out of it. Drill two holes through it. Then give it to Best Buy for recycling.
I had the same issue with some old work hard drives. The US gov spent (wasted) large $ on a wiping program. I took my rechargeable drill with a metal bit and was done with all of them in less than 10 minutes.
You just lost your security clearance. If your drive really has important stuff on it (i.e. the design of some classified weapon), them Chinese and Russian could still analyze the fragment and get partial data out of it.
