OT: Discarding Crashed Hard Drives

Videocanuck wrote on 10/30/2006, 1:21 PM
I'm looking for suggestions on how to dispose of crashed hard drives to ensure that data cannot be recovered? Keep in mind that I cannot access the drive so software solutions are not an option. I've read that magnets do not work. Is the good old hammer the best? Are the circuit boards recyclable (I mean before the hammer hits)?

Videocanuck

Comments

farss wrote on 10/30/2006, 2:16 PM
Heat.
TimTyler wrote on 10/30/2006, 2:22 PM
I always pitch them hard to the drive way a few times and then scrape up the visible curcuit board with a screwdriver before chucking them.
DavidSinger wrote on 10/30/2006, 2:33 PM
CIA-proof = remove the platters and melt them to a puddle (welder's cutting torch).

Snoopy Neighbor-proof = remove the platters, fold in half, throw one platter out in the trash on different weeks.

One of my clients is a medical facility. They are no longer allowed (by HIPAA regs) to "dispose" of any hard drive. All failed hard drives now must be kept locked away on the premises, for audit purposes, indefinitely. That's because there are companies that can recover 97+% of data from disks salvaged from totally burned and fire-hose-flooded buildings. Think MGM-Grand's fire. $400million in receivables back on-line within 2 weeks, and those platters were warped like bubblewrap, and that was using technology available 25years ago.
craftech wrote on 10/30/2006, 3:26 PM
Dropping it on a hard surface from 3-4 feet should work, but if you want to make sure:

1. Remove screws holding circuit board (controller board), then remove circuit board and save it. Can revive a dead hard drive if board matches and board is the problem.

2. Turn it over and open it up with a T9 torx bit (two are under the label)

3. Remove the two screws holding the pin bracket (goes through the casing). Don't remove the pin bracket yet.

4. Take out the screw holding the magnet and pry off the magnet.(keep it away from your credit cards, etc)

5. Take off the head locking mechanism (plastic). Requires some force to pry off.

6. Take off the head stop mechanism.

7. Remove the head from the platter

8. Gouge the hell out of the platters with a scratch awl and pitch the whole thing into the garbage pail.

John
fldave wrote on 10/30/2006, 4:12 PM
Follow craftech's steps 1 thru 7.

Step 8: Dremel tool to the platters to chop each into several pieces.

Then follow DavidSinger's "Snoopy Neighbor" process over the next few weeks, using random sections of what the dremel tool left.
RNLVideo wrote on 10/30/2006, 4:14 PM
Drill through the platters. Quick, easy and effective.
GlennChan wrote on 10/30/2006, 4:22 PM
Dropping it on a hard surface from 3-4 feet should work

This technique will actually help get some hard drives temporarily working again. (Not recommended over a professional data recovery service though.)
craftech wrote on 10/30/2006, 4:31 PM
Dropping it on a hard surface from 3-4 feet should work

This technique will actually help get some hard drives temporarily working again. (Not recommended over a professional data recovery service though.)
============
Not from 3-4 feet Glenn.

John
GlennChan wrote on 10/30/2006, 5:12 PM
Some people report dropping a hard drive works:

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-6255-5029761-3.html

I'm not sure about 3-4 feet though, although presumably the hard drive can still work. A lot of things still have a chance of working even after you drop them 3-4 feet. Perhaps some folks on this board have had this happen to their camera or laptop (and thankfully it still worked).
DrLumen wrote on 10/30/2006, 7:35 PM
The most complete way is to degauss the drive. If you have a bulk tape eraser, run that over it a few times. That should give you about as complete an erasure as you would need. Not only does it erase the data but usually trashes the electronics. If the drive is to be replaced under warranty - like for an HP system still under warranty - don't do this as they will reject the warranty claim.

intel i-4790k / Asus Z97 Pro / 32GB Crucial RAM / Nvidia GTX 560Ti / 500GB Samsung SSD / 256 GB Samsung SSD / 2-WDC 4TB Black HDD's / 2-WDC 1TB HDD's / 2-HP 23" Monitors / Various MIDI gear, controllers and audio interfaces

fldave wrote on 10/30/2006, 7:50 PM
It really depends what's on the drive. If it's a family video, drop it and throw it in the trash.

If it is your bank statements, absolutely destroy it. Maximum PC magazine had an article recently on system tools, one of the data recovery tools worked after formatting and reinstall of XP. They were able to recover data from before the format.

Some people are able to take the platters and recover the data.

Why take the risk?
GlennChan wrote on 10/30/2006, 8:00 PM
Would you happen to know what strength of tape eraser you need?

For example, I know that it's very difficult to degauss miniDV tape with a normal tape eraser.
riredale wrote on 10/30/2006, 8:12 PM
Some of these solutions would be a great way to get rid of stress, or at thet very least one could explore how a disk drive works.

But what could be so important that it would require these extreme measures to ensure that NO ONE, EVER, can get any of the data back, no matter how hard they try?

In my case, suppose I have confidential tax information on an old drive. It crashes, so I want to dump it. A couple of whacks with a hammer and it's history, unless the CIA really, really, wants to get the info. Even if they did want the data, there would be so many other ways of getting the same information, what's the point of extreme measures?
fldave wrote on 10/30/2006, 8:23 PM
"what's the point of extreme measures?"

Guard against teenage fun with adult tools?
Videocanuck wrote on 10/30/2006, 10:45 PM
Thanks for the suggestions. This hard drive has our personal finance info including banking info, credit card numbers, etc. Given all the problems with identity theft and the potential to recover data from failed drives, I am looking for an inexpensive way to protect ourselves. Sounds like physically destroying the drive is the most economical way to go.
GenJerDan wrote on 10/31/2006, 4:54 AM
Or save them and built a gyro stabilizer. (Assuming they still spin up) :^)
rchristiejr wrote on 10/31/2006, 7:19 AM
A jolt of electricity should unalign those particles.
Oh yes, just about everything else everyone mentioned, maybe not dropping "only" 3-4 feet.
kirkdickinson wrote on 10/31/2006, 9:18 AM
3 or 4 Teslas would do it. :-)
kirkdickinson wrote on 10/31/2006, 9:22 AM
Take it out to the driveway and smack it with a 10 lb hammer until there are little bits that you have to sweep up.

or you could cut the entire drive in about six pieces with a band saw.

Or you could use the drive for skeet practice. I recommend buckshot.
wombat wrote on 10/31/2006, 4:03 PM
our techos start the hard drive up, then stick a heavy duty magnet on it, moving the magnet around until the very unpleasant noises stop. The process is fast and painless, and they reckon it is pretty fool-proof re. data destruction - damaging data, heads and platters.