Destroying Hard Drive - Not That I'm Paranoid.

Chriss · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 May 2005 Karma :

Hi, I've replaced my old hard drive, and PC's working fine. I've personal data on my old hard drive that I want to get rid of. What's the best way of destroying the data so it can't be recovered?

(I'm using Ubuntu, so no Windows programs)
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

With a hammer.

Luke_Retrofly · Silly Lesbian Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Karma :

GhostRider · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Karma :

Bit of wood, bit of petrol, light a match, throw on pile swiftly followed by the hard drive containing files such as "Donkey suckers 3" and then stand back, as I presume the burning material might give off some nasty stuff you prob don't want to inhale.

Virgin recently replaced my modem and said that I don't have to hand the old one back, just take it to a dump. I don't know if theres like a cache on there where they can store shit and see what I;ve been upto, but I'm taking no chances, and thus am waiting for the next good oppertunity to light a bonfire.

GhostRider
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I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Kill it with fire.
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NSR Mick · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Karma :

Take the platters out and use them as beer mats.
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Chriss · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 May 2005 Karma :

Wow, they sure do tiny little Torx screws! Also, a hammer is not really doing very much to it. Broken the green electronics bit, but if I recall correctly, it's the CD looking (platters) things inside that hold the data.

I shall try fire tomorrow.

Thanks all.
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

owdamer · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Karma :

I've got about 20 platters stuck to the wall at the back on my bench at work. They make great mirrors. Not vain or nowt, but they make it easier to watch for my manager sneakin up behind me.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Hammer and chissel.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Or just throw it in a lake.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

Phoenix · Twisted Firestarter Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Karma :

Thermite?

JonB · Afraid of Mileage Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Karma :

Weapons-grade Plutonium?
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

Blackwolf · Burgerfist Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Karma :

My dog?

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Pickledswede · Traffic Copper Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Karma :

Putting it in a bonfire works well, me and some mates destroyed his one of their dad's hard drives that way, when we woke up in the morning there was just a strangely blob shaped lump of metal left over Wink

Luke_Retrofly · Silly Lesbian Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Karma :

Would a bonfire be hot enough to melt metal?

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Flip · Super Spammer Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Karma :

Chriss · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 May 2005 Karma :

Just for the record, it's bank details and passwords that were saved onto my hard drive. Not child porn or animal porn. Shocked

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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

GhostRider · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Karma :

Phoenix · Twisted Firestarter Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Karma :

To be honest you don't really need to destroy it unless it's a very large hard drive, you can run an overwrite program which will fill it several times with random data making it impossible to recover what was on there several writes ago (your stuff). I do it when selling any computers so nothing can be recovered of mine, problem is the larger the hard drive the longer it takes to run.

Pickledswede · Traffic Copper Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Pickledswede · Traffic Copper Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Karma :

Woah!

-adds to list of things to try- That is some serious fire!

The View Askew · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Karma :

Take the platter, and get a large magnet, apply the magnet to the platter like a buffer, then put it in the bin.
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"Do what you always did, get what you always got"

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Didn't realise you knew Carl Fogerty Stinkwheel... Thumbs Up

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