Scrapping Desktop - How To Safeguard Data?

[George7941]

Taking the HP desktop to the recycler tomorrow. Should I remove the hard drive at the bottom left to prevent data from getting compromised?
The computer does not boot up any more.

 

[dishdude]

Yes, drill a hole through it.

 

[skyactiv]

Overwrite it using a Linux distro and encrypt the disk during the install.

 

[Leo99]

I scrapped a bunch of computers and opened up the hard drives and removed the optical disks. I've been waiting for a heavy duty shredder to shred them.

 

[George7941]

Yes, drill a hole through it.

Will do. That way it gets recycled instead of going into garbage

 

[George7941]

Overwrite it using a Linux distro and encrypt the disk during the install.

Way beyond my limited computer skills.

 

[KJSmith]

We used to have a procedure at work that had you remove the hard drive and drill 3 holes through it.
Even sent us a little diagram on where to drill.

Remove it, drill it and beat it with a hammer and you will be fine.

 

[SC Maintenance]

There used to be really cool magnets inside a HDD. Just sayin.

 

[BobsArmory]

take it out, put it on the ground then beat it with a hammer, throw it in the trash. Done

 

[dubber09]

Nail thru or drill, shooting a hole thru it is also an option

How to safely and securely destroy hard disk data

Modern hard disks can hold a huge amount of data, even one from your 10 or 15 year old discarded computer. People often say “Nobody would be...

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[wwillson]

Take the hard drive out and beat it with a hammer until it's completely destroyed.

 

[George7941]

Took the hard drive apart and saved one magnet. The bottom magnet looks like too much work to retrieve.

 

[Slick3914]

I shoot the hard drive with a .270 Winchester.

 

[chainblu]

I beat them to death with a ball peen hammer and toss them in the scrap metal pile.

 

[supton]

I take them apart, remove the magnet, damage the platter as much as I can. Then toss into the metal dumpster.

Haven't scrapped an SSD yet but it'd be even more damaged by the time I got done with it.

I should check at work, for all I know, they might take the odd hard drive or two from me "under the table".

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Hammer time

 

[dishdude]

I take them apart, remove the magnet, damage the platter as much as I can. Then toss into the metal dumpster.

Haven't scrapped an SSD yet but it'd be even more damaged by the time I got done with it.

I should check at work, for all I know, they might take the odd hard drive or two from me "under the table".

SSDs are easy, just send the erase command to them from the BIOS, takes seconds.

 

[supton]

SSDs are easy, just send the erase command to them from the BIOS, takes seconds.

Is it? never tried. Will try to file that away in the steel colander that I call a brain.

Not nearly as fun as a regular hard drive, though.

 

[Pew]

Is it? never tried. Will try to file that away in the steel colander that I call a brain.

Not nearly as fun as a regular hard drive, though.

You could just snap/smash the PCB. Bonus, do it with one hand and feel like you're strong lol.

 

[wavinwayne]

If one had a chop saw, would cutting it in half destroy the data?