How to wipe desktop hard drive before disposal

arciere

I don't want to hijack the thread, so if it becomes too complicated I'll just open a new one.

I have something like 100 hard drives (a mix of 2.5 and 3.5") that I need to get rid of. Hammer unfortunately is not an option in this case.
Using software to wipe them could be, but it's time consuming and it will take forever.
Do you know of any fast way of erasing the content of every drive (either mechanically or logically)?
I have been using CCleaner in my spare time, but it takes hours just for one, and I guess any other software will take at least as long. I can also remove the plates in a couple of minutes, but that leaves you with hundreds of tiny screws and small parts, and it gets messy quite quickly.

Undervalued

arciere wrote: »

I don't want to hijack the thread, so if it becomes too complicated I'll just open a new one.

I have something like 100 hard drives (a mix of 2.5 and 3.5") that I need to get rid of. Hammer unfortunately is not an option in this case.
Using software to wipe them could be, but it's time consuming and it will take forever.
Do you know of any fast way of erasing the content of every drive (either mechanically or logically)?
I have been using CCleaner in my spare time, but it takes hours just for one, and I guess any other software will take at least as long. I can also remove the plates in a couple of minutes, but that leaves you with hundreds of tiny screws and small parts, and it gets messy quite quickly.

I think it depends on the level of security you are looking for.

If it really is essential to defeat even the most intense forensic recovery, to they point that they could recover no data at all, then you have got to destroy the platters into tiny bits. But how many people really need to do that? As I said in another thread, that is like securing your house or business like a bank vault or protecting granny's favourite vase like a national art collection!

Simply destroying the electronics would be sufficient for most purposes. As I understand it, there is a unique chip on most hard disk circuit boards. If the electronics fail you have to move that chip, assuming it is still OK, to another board in order for it to read that drive.

So, in my view, for 99% of users drill two holes with a pillar drill. One through the platters and one through a chip on the pcb.

poppellerant

arciere wrote: »

I don't want to hijack the thread, so if it becomes too complicated I'll just open a new one.

I have something like 100 hard drives (a mix of 2.5 and 3.5") that I need to get rid of. Hammer unfortunately is not an option in this case.
Using software to wipe them could be, but it's time consuming and it will take forever.
Do you know of any fast way of erasing the content of every drive (either mechanically or logically)?
I have been using CCleaner in my spare time, but it takes hours just for one, and I guess any other software will take at least as long. I can also remove the plates in a couple of minutes, but that leaves you with hundreds of tiny screws and small parts, and it gets messy quite quickly.

If you can justify the cost, then a hard drive degausser will make short work of those drives.

arciere

Undervalued wrote: »

I think it depends on the level of security you are looking for.

If it really is essential to defeat even the most intense forensic recovery, to they point that they could recover no data at all, then you have got to destroy the platters into tiny bits. But how many people really need to do that? As I said in another thread, that is like securing your house or business like a bank vault or protecting granny's favourite vase like a national art collection!

Simply destroying the electronics would be sufficient for most purposes. As I understand it, there is a unique chip on most hard disk circuit boards. If the electronics fail you have to move that chip, assuming it is still OK, to another board in order for it to read that drive.

So, in my view, for 99% of users drill two holes with a pillar drill. One through the platters and one through a chip on the pcb.

I have swapped the electronic boards a few times, as long as you are using the exact same model, it normally works.
Data is not top secret (not MI5), bust still business-related, I only need to make sure that it is not easily readable (a full disk encryption or writing all 0s would do).

arciere

poppellerant wrote: »

If you can justify the cost, then a hard drive degausser will make short work of those drives.

As much as I would like to play with one of those, I don't think I will be able to justify the cost with my company :j
Thanks for the suggestion though.

dogmaryxx

arciere wrote: »

As much as I would like to play with one of those, I don't think I will be able to justify the cost with my company :j
Thanks for the suggestion though.

Pure Planet Recycling

DigForVictory

+1 for a drill. Hammers can be tricky to position effectively. Drills are easier to target & thanks to mains or battery, just keep on at it.

(Says she still with carbon dust on her boots, but unbeatable peace of mind.)

arciere

dogmaryxx wrote: »

Pure Planet Recycling

Thanks, I already have another company I work with that offers similar services, the thing is that higher-ups do not like the idea of data leaving the organisation in a readable condition.
If it all gets too complicated, I'll see if they can change their mind.

pmartin86

arciere wrote: »

Thanks, I already have another company I work with that offers similar services, the thing is that higher-ups do not like the idea of data leaving the organisation in a readable condition.
If it all gets too complicated, I'll see if they can change their mind.

Surely if its business sensetive it should be encrypted anyway...

arciere

pmartin86 wrote: »

Surely if its business sensetive it should be encrypted anyway...

Some of them are, others are not. It's a mix of disks coming from old servers and workstations (with pretty much no data on them) that were removed before disposing. The majority are RAID disks anyway, so even if you managed to read the single disk, you wouldn't get much information.
It's just that I don't have the time to check them one by one.