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How to Destroy old Mac hard drives to prevent data retrieval
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<blockquote data-quote="PGB1" data-source="post: 1886526" data-attributes="member: 76746"><p>I'm with Patrick on the Save The Magnets comment. </p><p>John also mentioned the bearings which are indeed smooth and very useful for make-goofy-stuff people like me. I recently used some on a motorized, cable driven lifter-upperer thing I made for someone.</p><p>The tiny screws are handy, too. (My eyeglasses will attest to that.)</p><p></p><p>For the most recent platter type hard drives of mine, which would not run secure erase was out. I cut the platters into pieces and put part in one week's electronic recycling and part in the next week's. </p><p></p><p>For a SSD, other than secure erase, I don't have any idea that will make it safe and still keep it out of the landfill.</p><p></p><p>Some Non-Earth Friendly, But Fun Methods:</p><p>Where I worked, the task of hard drive wrecking came to our department (skilled trades) instead of the IT people, I suppose it was because we had all kinds of scary looking wreck stuff tools. We would take the magnets, bearings & tiny eyeglasses frame size screws out.</p><p>To "erase" the platters, depending on whether or not the IT people wanted to see the wreckage, the guys would pick something (After they snooped- It was amazing how many were not erased):</p><p></p><p>a) Wipe across them with microwave oven magnetron magnets from the appliance guys (a round concentrated field) I think now there are even stronger magnets available at the hardware store.</p><p></p><p>b) Cut & send the pieces to different compacting dumpsters (There were 6 on the dock)</p><p></p><p>c) Torch them or use the arc welder (outdoors- Phew! stinky)</p><p></p><p>d) Paper shredder that takes CDs</p><p></p><p>e) Garbage disposer</p><p></p><p>f) Cut-N-Flush</p><p></p><p>g) Give them to me. I'd put them in one of the high voltage transformer vaults for a day. We once checked one before and after. The EMF field made them unreadable. </p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, none of these recycle the platters. They all end up in landfills.</p><p></p><p>I've heard of microwaving or boiling them, but never tried it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="PGB1, post: 1886526, member: 76746"] I'm with Patrick on the Save The Magnets comment. John also mentioned the bearings which are indeed smooth and very useful for make-goofy-stuff people like me. I recently used some on a motorized, cable driven lifter-upperer thing I made for someone. The tiny screws are handy, too. (My eyeglasses will attest to that.) For the most recent platter type hard drives of mine, which would not run secure erase was out. I cut the platters into pieces and put part in one week's electronic recycling and part in the next week's. For a SSD, other than secure erase, I don't have any idea that will make it safe and still keep it out of the landfill. Some Non-Earth Friendly, But Fun Methods: Where I worked, the task of hard drive wrecking came to our department (skilled trades) instead of the IT people, I suppose it was because we had all kinds of scary looking wreck stuff tools. We would take the magnets, bearings & tiny eyeglasses frame size screws out. To "erase" the platters, depending on whether or not the IT people wanted to see the wreckage, the guys would pick something (After they snooped- It was amazing how many were not erased): a) Wipe across them with microwave oven magnetron magnets from the appliance guys (a round concentrated field) I think now there are even stronger magnets available at the hardware store. b) Cut & send the pieces to different compacting dumpsters (There were 6 on the dock) c) Torch them or use the arc welder (outdoors- Phew! stinky) d) Paper shredder that takes CDs e) Garbage disposer f) Cut-N-Flush g) Give them to me. I'd put them in one of the high voltage transformer vaults for a day. We once checked one before and after. The EMF field made them unreadable. Unfortunately, none of these recycle the platters. They all end up in landfills. I've heard of microwaving or boiling them, but never tried it. [/QUOTE]
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