Disposing of a Hard Drive
The best way to dispose of an hard drive is completely subjective and depends on the data on the drive. If you want to keep the drive usable but totally erased, you can use software from companies like Blancco, who’s software is CESG approved and has a solid reputation among security experts.
However, no matter how thorough a data-wiping program is, the only way to be certain that a hard-drive’s data is erased is to retest the drive, which is time consuming.
A sure way of ensuring the data is unrecoverable is by physical destruction, either crushing or shredding, which rendering the drive’s platters unreadable. I’ve heard and read all kinds of methods people use to destroy an old drive, some of which are downright dangerous.
Put it in a fire? There are lots of toxic chemicals in that gadget. Do you really want to be breathing them or otherwise releasing them into the environment? Microwaves are handy for destroying CDs and DVDs, but you’d have to cook a hard drive for a long, long time to blister the drive’s platters.
Several Web sites suggest soaking the drive in diluted hydrochloric or muriatic acid. This might work, but you run the risk of burning yourself or breathing toxic fumes. Lots of people recommend breaking out the power tools and drilling several holes through the drive. You can achieve the same effect by pounding some nails through it, or simply by whacking the heck out of it with a hammer, sledge or otherwise.
These methods are a little extreme and we suggest you ‘don’t try this at home’ but use a reputable company like Concept Management who can overwrite, degauss, crush or shred at our facilty or your premises.
Talk to consultant who will give practical advice on the best methods of disposing of hard drives that suit your requirements, not ours.
Call Concept on 01204 363184