Why You Should Destroy Your Hard Drive

A typical desktop laptop or computer hard drive could include the social security numbers of your family members and credit card number, as well as bank account numbers and even passwords and logins to websites. These data can be stored on the drive even if the drive is "erased" or reformatted with an application for data wiping.



If you are planning to donate or recycle your computer, you must completely erase or wipe your hard drive. In doing this, it will make sure that the information on the drives will be erased completely and will be inaccessible to thieves. Additionally, it is crucial to be aware that when your drive is home to photographs of your personal or music collection or other data that has sentimental value, make certain to back it onto a different hard drive prior to starting this destruction procedure.

How to Destroy a Computer: Data-Wiping Program

The best way to remove information from your drive is to use the data-wiping software. This is a good option if you wish to make the drive usable, but data is erased. It is possible to use Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) that comes with an option that runs on USB flash drives and a different version which runs on the DVD or CD. DBAN is a well-known program in the field of security.

But, regardless of how comprehensive a data-wiping software is, one way to ensure that the data on a hard drive is not recoverable is to make the disk unpinnable.

Physically Destroying Your Hard Drive

If you are disposing of a computer that is no longer in use, there's only one method to safely erase all the data in the drive's memory: by destroying the disk (also known as the platter) inside.

For starters, find the location of your hard drive inside your computer. You might need to search for your specific model if you're having difficulty finding the drive. Then, you can use a suitable-sized screwdriver to get rid of all screws you are able to access on your computer.

Then, you can open the casing of your hard drive. It's basically the loosening of a number of screws in various configurations based on the brand and model of the hard drive. There are often screws under the labels, so you may need to go looking for them.

With the hard drive disconnected from the computer and with your eye protection on, keep striking the hard drive from different sides until it begins to expand. When it's open, take out the silver platter's round disk from within. Dab, scratch, and dent the surface. A lot of lighter taps that combine a hammer's claw as well as the peen of a hammer will be enough to damage the hard drive.

There are a myriad of other creative methods to destroy your hard drive, like burning it or cutting it using a saw, or even magnetically securing it. Simply scratching the disk and pounding it with a hammer is enough to do the trick!

Once you're done, put the pieces in boxes and drop them off at the local electronics recycling center.