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How do I destroy the data on a crashed hard drive?
2-26-2009 | Me

Posted on 02/26/2009 9:00:20 PM PST by Paleo Conservative

Last Friday morning when I got to the office, I found that my computer had the infamous Microsoft Blue Screen of Death. I tried rebooting, but the SCSI card got no response from my boot drive. This wasn't a huge problem, because I had already intended to upgrade my system drive and already had my data partitions copied to the new drive. After a little work I was able to restore a recent enough backup of my system drive to my new system drive and get the computer runing again.

My problem now is how do I destroy the data that still exists on the hard drive platters so they can't be read and recovered by anyone else even someone with access to a clean room who could fix the drive well enough to read any data that still exists on them. I've considered using my bulk eraser to erase the data that still exists and then using an electric drill to put holes in the platters.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
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To: Paleo Conservative

61 posted on 02/26/2009 9:20:28 PM PST by ETL (ALL the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: death2tyrants

I thought that’s what I was doing when I used that wizard thing to transfer the files to my external drive, but apparently I saved the files incorrectly, they are all .dat files and I can’t open them! :-(


62 posted on 02/26/2009 9:20:42 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: dfwgator
But how are you going to get the 1.21 Gigawatts?

Why, I will ask 0bambi, of course.

63 posted on 02/26/2009 9:20:46 PM PST by JRios1968 (The real first rule of Fight Club: Do not invite Chuck Norris...EVER)
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To: JRios1968

I think my flux capacitor has gone kaput, unfortunately!! :-(

Maybe if I locate some Islamic terrorists somewhere and buy some hot uranium from them, I can jury-rig something...

;-)


64 posted on 02/26/2009 9:22:03 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: pillut48
Yep. That's catastrophic. Probably either the actuator or the actuator arm. It needs to be dissembled and the platter removed. The platter is then placed in HD with operable mechanics and then the data is harvested. It takes some time and needs to be done in a fairly clean environment with some specialty tools. That's where the expense comes from. Again, sorry.

Remember, hard drives are MECHANICAL. Everything that is mechanical has a useful life - they will all eventually fail. Back up. Back up. Back up.

65 posted on 02/26/2009 9:22:20 PM PST by Big_Monkey
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To: pillut48

I heard that certain kinds of disk failure involve the darned things seizing up and that Data Doctors will cool those particular drives down to increase tolerances long enough to retrieve data.

But I would price around professional recovery services first.


66 posted on 02/26/2009 9:22:21 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (PIE FIGHT!!!!!)
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To: pillut48

Whatever you do, don’t let your beeber get stuned.


67 posted on 02/26/2009 9:24:01 PM PST by JRios1968 (The real first rule of Fight Club: Do not invite Chuck Norris...EVER)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Thanks, FRiends for the advice! I appreciate it!


68 posted on 02/26/2009 9:24:06 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: Paleo Conservative

I suggest Gaussian elimination.


69 posted on 02/26/2009 9:24:32 PM PST by patton (America is born in Iceland, and dies in California)
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To: JRios1968

No, that would be hugh and series and I don’t think I have the energy to deal with the outcome after taking care of my infant twins alone during the week, plus all this crap from HolyO and congress—ack.


70 posted on 02/26/2009 9:25:13 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: Paleo Conservative

A heavy dose of static electricity should do it.

71 posted on 02/26/2009 9:25:41 PM PST by smokingfrog ( Dear Mr. Obama - Please make it rain candy! P.S. I like jelly beans.)
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To: Paleo Conservative

Cover with cheese, put it between hamburger buns, place in a McDonald’s bag, leave it at Michael Moore’s door.

Will never be seen again. Plus, Mikey will get indigestion.


72 posted on 02/26/2009 9:26:18 PM PST by Darkwolf377 (Hope you're happy with your "send a message to the RNC" vote)
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To: smokingfrog

But NEVER cross the streams!!
NEVER!!!!!


73 posted on 02/26/2009 9:26:39 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: Paleo Conservative
What the heck do you have on that hard drive, the "Sword of a Thousand Truths?"


74 posted on 02/26/2009 9:26:57 PM PST by Richard Kimball (We're all criminals. They just haven't figured out what some of us have done yet.)
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To: Paleo Conservative

Tell Rosie O’Donnell it’s a device that, if she sits on it, will make her into a female. Done!


75 posted on 02/26/2009 9:27:04 PM PST by Darkwolf377 (Hope you're happy with your "send a message to the RNC" vote)
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To: pillut48

Take it in the shower...


76 posted on 02/26/2009 9:27:07 PM PST by JRios1968 (The real first rule of Fight Club: Do not invite Chuck Norris...EVER)
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To: Jeff Chandler
Wrap it up in some garbage, stick that in an empty food product carton, put that in the center of the kitchen trash bag, put the trash bag in the center of the other trash in the dumpster, and send it to the land fill.

And whatever you do, don't post about it on Free Republic.

The feds have probably already been there, copied the data in its entirety, and left everything exactly as it was when they arrived.
77 posted on 02/26/2009 9:27:22 PM PST by Kurt Evans (This message not approved by any candidate or candidate's committee.)
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To: Darkwolf377

Best...answer...so...far!!!

LOL.

Sounds like Augustus Gloop—just dip the thing in chocolate and viola! No more evidence! ;-)


78 posted on 02/26/2009 9:27:39 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: Big_Monkey

I smell another commercial on Rush for Carbonite.


79 posted on 02/26/2009 9:28:00 PM PST by uptoolate (Shhh. If you listen real hard, God is speaking to America.)
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To: death2tyrants

I’m still laughing at post #40 so hard I’m crying.


80 posted on 02/26/2009 9:28:22 PM PST by Kurt Evans (This message not approved by any candidate or candidate's committee.)
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