Destroying hard drives and contents

If you want the pyrotechnics then go ahead. Being a boring old *art I simply took the covers off mine, stripped down destroyed the disc and kept the magnets, always useful for finding small lost steel screws!

Toss any stators and rotor assemblies my way. Can be used to make tiny motors..

The Mapp gas looks just like any blow torch.

You should post the disks to yourself via the Royal Mail and label them as fragile. They will arrive "properly destroyed".

Adam

We used to drop the platters into acid which dissolved the iron oxide. That was about the fastest way of doing a lot. Not sure if current disks are still suitable for this, but I think they still use iron oxide.

In practice, once you've lost the centering of the platters by releasing them from the spindle, no one without megabucks of resources is going to be able to re-centre the existing tracks such that anything can read them. That was already impossible 20 years ago when track-to-track distances were much larger than they are today.

You only have to go above the Curie point, I think? You can probably do that on a gas hob.

Stick them in the post labelled 'Social Security Data Urgent'?

This is true. But you don't even need to remove the platters; just take the cover off the drive and use a large screwdriver to bend the platters(s) up. - job done.

Yes. I place them on a hard surface and hit them several times with a big hammer. Easier, cheaper and quicker than ...

I would be pleased to do so.

Which pieces do you mean? The head movement stuff or the motor from the centre?

Send me a mail and we can discuss.

The point of the video I would guess was how to destroy it in a satisfying manner. Bet it still doesn't get rid of AOL files.

mark

So considering brick acid as relatively easily available, do you think that that would do it?

That I didn't know.

Sounds right.

In article , Andy Hall scribeth thus

If their fecking Maxtors they'll self-DISTRUCT given time!..

Otherwise a gas torch will unsolder the chips in seconds:)

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Hardly counts as an orgasmic experience, though, does it ?

Not quite as satisfying, but a firm wallop with a club hammer (that deforms the top of the drive and all the platters) will put the data well beyond reach of all but the most determined data recovery specialists.

In message , Andy Hall writes

I'd be tempted to experiment with an (old) microwave oven, turn the lights off for maximum satisfaction

Sledgehammer?

Malcolm

I usually take the cover off and bend the platters, which renders the data beyond all reasonable recovery.

While you're in there, it is worth retrieving the neodymium magnets. They make great wall mounted tool holders.

I've used MAPP for brazing, and it is quite a lot hotter than propane.

Whereabouts are the magnets located, or is that obvious once I get the cover off and start moving a screwdriver around?

They are part of the head scanning mechanism, and are located at one end of the drive. There are 2 kidney shaped magnets about 35-40mm wide facing each other, with a coil between them. You can't miss them. Be careful, they snap!

Watch out for the (IBM?) drives with glass platters!