Effective methods of destroying a HDD

[Lotus49]

I had an old laptop. Something critical failed - it "couldn't find operating system" when you'd try to boot up. I tried everything, but it was a total loss (no big deal, really - it was practically archaic).

But, the HDD has some stuff that I can't (even risk) let fall into someone else's hands. So, I took the computer apart, to get to the harddisk with the intention of physically destroying it.

Unfortunately, this thing was made to survive a nuclear attack. I can't even open it... it's got this extremely well-armored outer shell that I swear I just can't open.

Now granted, I could beat the living h3ll out of it w/ a hammer - but the real damage to the disk might be minimal, since this thing is so well protected. So, I need some creative ideas. I'm not a pyromaniac, nor do I really have the means/location to burn this thing to a crisp without getting arrested.

What about putting it in a dish of water, letting it soak in, and then freezing it, letting the ice expand... how tough is the actual internal disk anyway? It might just laugh this approach off. Or maybe something chemical... I have a bunch of bleach. Maybe I could bake it in the oven or something, just enough to melt the disk a bit (what temperature would be necessary)? I just need to ruin it, somehow...

More than likely I'll have to settle for the hammer - but I was hoping not to go there. Something tells me it'll hurt me, more than the armor plating.

It's an old COMPAQ - from the mid/late 90s. Need I say more.

 

[Mulholland]

Rub a very strong magnet along it on erratic motions, then beat the hell out of it with a hammer(read sledge hammer), then give 'er the magnet treatment again. Throw it in the landfill inside a garbage bag full of rotting food. That should do the trick.

 

[armathas]

Drill, with titanium bit...about 4 holes should do the trick.

 

[Turner]

Take it outside on the concrete or asphalt and throw it up as high as you can several times. That should crash the heads quite nicely.

Secure a cable to it, and tie that cable to you back bumper. Drive around town with it attached. Disclaimer: Might not be legal to have something hanging off of your bumper in some areas.

 

[Speedo]

Beat with a hammer til you beat out the HDD, then beat on the HDD until it's scrap.

On the rare occasion that I actually throw a drive away, its little more than scrap metal by the time it hits the trash can.

 

[taper]

Contrary to popular belief, any magnet you can likely get your hands on won't guarantee wiping. You need to physically destroy the platters in the drive to be totally safe. Heating the platters beyond their Curie point would work, but I don't know what temp that is, or if the case will melt first and give off some nasty fumes. I would think that freezing the drive and then whacking it with a sledge would crack it open pretty quick.

 

[Maniacal]

Can you possibly video tape your destruction of the HD?

Beat the living hell out of it sounds like a good idea. Do you know anyone who has a kiln? (or furnace?) sticking it in there might be a good idea.

 

[GenMarshall]

Why not just take it to a recycling center that specializes in recycling computer parts (The HD may be crap, but there is still useful materials and metals in it to reuse, especialy Copper and Gold)?

 

[cthom]

take it to somewhere highly radioactive. then again maybe not.
if you know an electrician, how about passing several thousand volts through it? remember to make a video as per PrinceScamps suggestion!

 

[dutchfire]

Try this

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Go to the top floor of a tall building, warn people below, and drop it out the window

it should work

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Beat is with a very large hammer, if you have a small blow torch, heat it up a bit ( watch for fumes). If you have a vice, crush it in that. If you have anything acidic, put some on it. Also, a drill bit through the screws will take them out, meaning that you can get at the actual platters, which are easily wiped with some 80 grit sandpaper.

 

[MarineCorps]

I once managed to open up a hard drive. Took at least 8 hours of work with hammers, screw drivers and rocks. Once you open the things they are useless. Even a speck of dust gets inside the disk drive, it's useless. Thats why the are meant to survive everything up to a nuclear attack.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Or, you can go out and buy a set of screwdrivers meant for this kind of thing, and open it up using that

 

[MarineCorps]

Or, you can go out and buy a set of screwdrivers meant for this kind of thing, and open it up using that

Wheres the fun in that?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

You could always borrow my cat.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

The fun is in melting down the parts after you've stripped them of plastic. I have my old HDD hanging above me right now, in the form of an eagle made out of aluminum.

 

[IglooDame]

I've not found a hard drive yet that will survive a few rounds of .45ACP...

 

[Rheinmetall]

Throw it in the furnace.

 

[SG-17]

Shoot it.

10 Char.