How to Safely Dispose of a Hard Drive
When it comes to disposing of your hard drive, throwing it in the trash isn't a safe option. A hard drive can be used by identity thieves to glean your personal information or by competitors to steal company secrets. Whether you don't want to risk putting your personal information out there or if you are a small business owner who wants to keep your company's data secure, there are free ways you can safely dispose of your hard drive.
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Things You'll Need
- Hammer
- Safety goggles
- Erase drive software
- Darik's Boot & Nuke, Eraser or WinPT Wipe File Utility
Instructions
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Overwrite the data on your hard disk with erase drive software from your hard drive vendor. Visit Gizmodo's website for a listing of hard drive vendors and where to obtain the software you need. The software is usually free.
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Secure wipe your hard drive. Secure wiping provides an extra level of security and isn't normally necessary for the average person who wants to safely dispose of their his drive. However, if you want to make sure any sensitive data is removed before you dispose of your drive then secure wiping may be the choice for you. There are many products available for wiping a hard drive, including Darik's Boot & Nuke, Eraser and WinPT Wipe File Utility.
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Smash the hard drive into pieces with the hammer and then and then dispose of the pieces in the trash. You could also use a drill to make a minimum of four holes through the hard drive. The drive won't spin any more, making the data unreadable.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear the safety goggles while using power tools.
References
Resources
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