Porthos
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I turn a client's HDD into a backup drive (if good) for Macrium backups after an SSD upgrade when possible.
My Hard drive hoarding is out of control
- Thread starter thecomputerguy
- Start date
I've got a shelf of them in external enclosures. I just about give them away (after secure erase) to encourage people to back up. I offer to install them for backup in desktops but I prefer the air-block of an external backup.
Larry Sabo
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I would speed up the process by simply damaging Seagate PCBs enough to render them unrepairable or segregating the PCBs from their matching chassis. Very few people in the world can recover data from Seagates that are missing their ROM.
In my opinion, you don't need to destroy most drives completely -- just render their media unreadable with a sledgehammer blow that bends the top plate enough to seize the motor spindle and impact the platters. If you really want to be thorough, remove the top plate before smacking the platters with the sledge. Takes less time than a secure erase. For most (non--business) users, that would be plenty. For business users, they should take care of destroying the drives themselves if they care about IP getting into the wrong hands.
In my opinion, you don't need to destroy most drives completely -- just render their media unreadable with a sledgehammer blow that bends the top plate enough to seize the motor spindle and impact the platters. If you really want to be thorough, remove the top plate before smacking the platters with the sledge. Takes less time than a secure erase. For most (non--business) users, that would be plenty. For business users, they should take care of destroying the drives themselves if they care about IP getting into the wrong hands.
Desktop drives are tough! I've smacked a fair many right on the spindle (my accuracy with a 5 lb. sledge leaves much to be desired.....) and the sledge just bounces up and it appears nothing happened to the drive. I try for off-centered to catch the platters. Still, smacking 150 drives 2-3 times each is a lot of work. Plus I destroy what ever I set the drives on including concrete floors. (I don't have an anvil yet.)
Larry Sabo
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I just viewed a YouTube video of a guy testing different methods and a concrete nail gun did the best job, penetrating the platters and chassis with concrete nails. Really quick and effective, but very noisy. Probably best to alert the cops and neighbours in advance, or you'll get a visit from a tactical squad.
Oooo! I like the nail gun idea and I have some projects coming up that could use it also. Noise isn't really an issue during hunting season in rural Wisconsin - heh!
@add - Got me thinking about air tools. I may try my air hammer with a point on it. Seems like it be a good option.
SlickMinnow
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Rural Wisconsin... hunting season.... mmmmmmm...... Perhaps some long range drills might work for your project... Various diameters to ensure proper destruction of course. Say 5.56mm or perhaps 7.62mm or maybe .22 inches or even 9mm. 
thecomputerguy
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Just to follow up on this I ended up buying one of these with a bunch of replacement bits: https://www.amazon.com/WEN-4208T-2-3-Amp-5-Speed-Benchtop/dp/B08ZVT5JKC
Did the job pretty well ... went through about 400 drives in a few hours popping in about 3 holes per drive, one of which into the PCB.
Did the job pretty well ... went through about 400 drives in a few hours popping in about 3 holes per drive, one of which into the PCB.
NviGate Systems
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You could rent out the drives as target practice.
I save our old CDs and DVDs for this. You can get quite a few holes in them before they shatter. Also fun to plink with the pellet guns.
I've done target practice with a few drives in the past. I like the idea but what a mess! Picking up pieces for days......
I have a full floor drill press but read previously about someone struggling with the stainless steel in HDDs tearing up drill bits. I may experiment here also. I have some old carbide-tipped masonry bits that might work well without failing.
Yep! C-clamp a side-stop in place on my drill press so the drive doesn't twist and after a little setup I can go through drives pretty quick. One relatively large hole that catches the platters and PCB is all it takes. Chips are spread throughout the platters and the hole is ragged so there is no way I'm worried about data salvage. (The cheap air hammer/chisel I have only puts a big dent in it.)
@add - I didn't know the bottom brown material on desktop drives is cast aluminum. Tough stuff. I always thought it was a phenolic or heavy plastic. No wonder beating on them in the past was such a chore.
@add - I didn't know the bottom brown material on desktop drives is cast aluminum. Tough stuff. I always thought it was a phenolic or heavy plastic. No wonder beating on them in the past was such a chore.
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SlickMinnow
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I wonder if there's any value in the PCB (intact) to drive recovery folks - pro and amateur alike. Or maybe to metal recovery folks after drilling. I see that kind of thing on ebay quite a bit.
NviGate Systems
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Yes, it is. In fact I used to know of a recovery company that would buy drives. It's good for parts. But, you would need to ensure the drive is erased. But, you could detach the controller and drill the platters and still gives recovery experts a hand.
timeshifter
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I had one of these on my old computer
Single 5.25" bay, hot swap in 3.5 and / or 2.5 drive. Tool less.
I've got a tower with (4) 5.25" bays. Thinking about buying four of these devices and loading it up. That way I'd have a 4 bay hot swap disk wiping machine, could wipe 3.5 or 2.5 drives.
Motherboard 6 SATA ports, would likely need one for a boot drive. Ideally would need 8 available SATA ports, each bay needs two. Anyone recommend a SATA card that's cheap and would work for this?
Single 5.25" bay, hot swap in 3.5 and / or 2.5 drive. Tool less.
I've got a tower with (4) 5.25" bays. Thinking about buying four of these devices and loading it up. That way I'd have a 4 bay hot swap disk wiping machine, could wipe 3.5 or 2.5 drives.
Motherboard 6 SATA ports, would likely need one for a boot drive. Ideally would need 8 available SATA ports, each bay needs two. Anyone recommend a SATA card that's cheap and would work for this?
I have one almost like it. I don't know if it's the Dell machine it's in or Windows but it doesn't hot-swap the SATA very well. For the most part I have to turn off the machine, change the drive and restart the machine each time I use it.
I don't know the details well but I assumed wiping a drive pretty well saturates the SATA buss. Adding more drives would allow longer unattended operations but it wouldn't happen any faster.
timeshifter
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So if it took 8 hours to wipe a single drive, how long would it take to do four drives at the same time?
britechguy
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It's also worth checking around your local area to see if a degausser is available. Our local community college has one and I know of other techs who've made arrangements to use it for fast erasure of their mountain of drives.
frase
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...release b00m! 1,000 points for the Bigfoot. Tech stress relief, reminded me of Office Space.
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