How do I destroy the data on a crashed hard drive?

To: Paleo Conservative

You’re right. Which begs the question, if enough palms were greased at one of these ‘data destruction’ companies, would it result in data NOT being destroyed but forwarded on to any interested parties?

The best way to destroy your system’s data is to do it yourself.

Just install the next Microsoft security patch. LOL

181 posted on 03/01/2009 11:56:44 AM PST by mkjessup (You're either with our Constitution, or you are with TKU ("The Kenyan Usurper"). CHOOSE!!!)

To: Paleo Conservative; All

I've been thinking about this issue most of the day (yeah, I know "get a life Jessup!"), and I keep thinking that I heard something many years ago about some sort of assembly language program that could be run from a diskette (or now, a DVD or even a thumb drive), and the program would literally communicate with the hard drive, and force the heads to collide with (crash) the platter(s), thus rendering the drive useless.

I keep thinking it was a Seagate diagnostic which was pirated and corrupted into a destructive form, but I can't be sure. I found nothing on Google.

Anyone?

182 posted on 03/01/2009 12:04:00 PM PST by mkjessup (You're either with our Constitution, or you are with TKU ("The Kenyan Usurper"). CHOOSE!!!)

I've been thinking about this issue most of the day (yeah, I know "get a life Jessup!"), and I keep thinking that I heard something many years ago about some sort of assembly language program that could be run from a diskette (or now, a DVD or even a thumb drive), and the program would literally communicate with the hard drive, and force the heads to collide with (crash) the platter(s), thus rendering the drive useless.

That would only make the small proportion of the drive platters, under and adjacent to the drive heads when they crash, unreadable. The platters could be removed, cleaned up and placed back into a working drive to recover the data remaining on the rest of the drive. Also remember, the most recent data will have multiple copies on the drive due to deleted recent versions still being around.

Such a utility would be incredibly dangerous. Someone wanting to sabotage a business would only have to use a bootable floppy or USB drive to wreak havock. How many people or organizations disable booting from external devices or password protect the BIOS setup of their computers?

183 posted on 03/01/2009 12:28:41 PM PST by Paleo Conservative

To: Paleo Conservative

Thanks for the information.

184 posted on 03/01/2009 8:46:41 PM PST by GOPJ (People who can't use the new WH phone system are trying to redesign half the US economy - Brooks)

To: Paleo Conservative

You can outsource this. I’ve used the electromagnet technique. There there is the screwdriver and hammer.

185 posted on 03/01/2009 11:45:27 PM PST by rmlew

To: Paleo Conservative

In my neck of the woods, the proper tool for this job is affectionately known as the BFH.

186 posted on 03/01/2009 11:47:15 PM PST by Petronski (For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden. -- Cdl. Stafford)

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