How to Kill Your Hard Drive

Kill your hard drive. Hard drive cover removed, exposing the internal platter.

Selling old hard drives, laptops and desktops is a nice way to make money. However, if you keep sensitive information on your computer, such as credit cards, contacts, tax information or confidential company documents, you'll need to wipe it clean before disposing of it or selling it. Reinstalling Windows or even reformatting your hard drive won't irretrievably delete your information. Before reinstalling use a free utility called Darik's Boot and Nuke to wipe your hard drive.

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Instructions

- 1
  
  Open your favorite Web browser and go the DBAN website. Click the "Download" link at the top left part of the page. Click the "DBAN 2.2.6" download link, or the latest version if a new version exists.
- 2
  
  Open your CD or DVD burning program. Select the ISO or disc copy option and select the DBAN ISO file.
- 3
  
  Put the DBAN disc into your CD or DVD player and restart the computer. Type "autonuke" without the quotes and press "Enter." DBAN automatically detects all hard drives attached and installed in the computer and securely deletes them.

Tips & Warnings

Keep in mind that the DBAN ISO file can't be dragged into a CD window and burned, you'll need to use your burning programs ISO or disc copy function specifically. Consult the program manual if in doubt.
If the DBAN disc doesn't start your computer then you'll need to enter your BOIS to set your computer to start from the CD or DVD player. Generally this is done by pressing "F2" or "ESC" immediately after the computer starts.
Most reputable computer recycling facilities will grind the HD/HDD to dust for you, free, they have special machines to do the job. But to be on the safe side, you'll still need to remove data from your disk as many as possible before bringing it for destruction.
Some people use acid or an oven to destroy their hard drives. This article does not recommend using those, except for you are absolutely sure what you are doing.
Immersing hard drive/platters in water, regardless of temperature, will not work erasing the data.

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Darik's Boot and Nuke

Photo Credit e-Rambler@eHow.com

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How to Kill Your Hard Drive

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