Wiping your disk drive clean

[Neolithium_Wpg]

Originally Posted by DK2

NSA requires drives to be completely overwritten 8 times with random data before disposal.
Because they themselves are capable of recovering residual data from a drive with less than that.

The NSA now uses degaussing as the only method of drive disposal, don't remember what year but overwriting data is no longer good enough for them. The US Military still does allow overwriting for certain things. Also for a Canadian spin, all CSIS & Military drives use either degaussing or destruction as well for data classified Secret or Top Secret.

[Nodscene]

I find a hammer is a lot quicker then most methods :)

[Jake_HT]

I'm willing to bet sticking it in the microwave for a few seconds will mess it up pretty good!

[BrainEater]

The NSA does zerowrites,degaussing and finally , shredding.
---------------

I actually recycled 3 HDD's yesterday.

I degaussed em , then one good shot with a 15 pound sledgehammer.They will never spin again.

[Soultribunal]

I have a 14.4 Volt Hammer Drill that really does a good job of chewing through a HD.
I've never been a fan of using software to do anything like that.
If a drive is leaving my house, its in about 1000 pieces or will 100 holes in it.
Either way really, and by the looks of it, lots of people here do the same lol.

Regards,
ST

[Neolithium_Wpg]

I've personally been tempted to toss one into an MRI machine.

[djbon2112]

I've always done a simple dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/<mydrive> followed by dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/<mydrive>. Scrambles the data then writes zeroes. If someone is really willing to pay the $2000+ for a data recovery service to get back my porn and junk e-mails, I say let them have at it!

[Chilly]

Originally Posted by djbon2112

I've always done a simple dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/<mydrive> followed by dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/<mydrive>. Scrambles the data then writes zeroes. If someone is really willing to pay the $2000+ for a data recovery service to get back my porn and junk e-mails, I say let them have at it!

Once you DD Zero-Out a drive, its pretty much impossible to get any data off of it. Sure their may be some high tech expensive uber top secret prototype way to get data of a Zero'ed drive(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_force_microscope), but if someone is that determined, chances are your screwed regardless of if they can get the data or not.

[3 of 7]

Originally Posted by Jake_HT

I'm willing to bet sticking it in the microwave for a few seconds will mess it up pretty good!

I think it'll do the microwave more damage...
Pretty tough to beat a few minutes in a woodstove though.
2 minutes with a screwdriver gives you access to the platters if your really worried about it and you'll have some very strong magnets to play with when you're done.

[Chilly]

Originally Posted by 3 of 7

I think it'll do the microwave more damage...
Pretty tough to beat a few minutes in a woodstove though.
2 minutes with a screwdriver gives you access to the platters if your really worried about it and you'll have some very strong magnets to play with when you're done.

My 2cents? Well....