Memories have become the subject of our soul throughout human history and even serve the purpose of evolution by helping us learn from and avoid bad experiences. They also help us digest information to remember the future and spoil our nostalgia. Fortunately, with the advanced technology we have, we have many sophisticated choices to store memories without emphasizing our brain. The emergence of the digital era has made memories of saving easier, thanks to digital data storage solutions such as CDs, floppy disks, and hard drives.
But at the same time, with rapid progress in data storage technology, a faster and safer solution such as a solid-state hard drive (SSD) and flash storage drives have become more economical while the optical hard drive is fast obsolete. If you still have an old hard drive you want to change with an SSD that is faster, lighter, and more concise, there is a good chance, you might want to get rid of the older too. But getting rid of the old hard drive can cause a compromise of personal or sensitive information stored on the drive. That’s why it’s very important to know the best way to destroy old hard drives.
As someone with several years of experience dealing with various optical, solid storage devices, and network-based, I have made an easy guide for you to eliminate your hard drive and its contents.
Why do you have to destroy an old hard drive
It’s important to throw hard drive carefully because how easy it is to recover data from the hard drive, even if it has been formatted. Even when the hard drive doesn’t work well, there are still opportunities where someone can restore it and abuse your personal data. If it happens, you can submit to intimidation, extortion, or even identity theft. Optical hard drives can also survive extreme conditions such as submerged water for a long time, under a strong magnetic field, or brutally destroyed with extensive strength – sometimes, even shot, said The Washington Post.
To eliminate the chances of your data that is misused, it is important not to just delete the content on the hard drive using a software solution but also cut the part physically. You can also continue and destroy parts individually to be fully guaranteed (or even just for fun). Remember, only water or brute force from the outside will not be enough so you will need some tools to start.
The tool you need to destroy the hard drive
To eliminate the hard drive, you must have the right tool to decide and dismantle the hard drive. In the case of the internal hard drive that already – or before – connected to your computer, you need:
- Torx screwdriver to open the case holds internal components together
- Flathead screwdriver or tapered tip tools such as metal strips or guitar chooses to clench open cases
- Protective glasses
- Office safety knife
- Palu to destroy parts *
* Or, you can use a nail gun or drill to poke the hole through a circular plate – disk that rotates inside the hard drive that holds data.
In the case of an external hard drive, you might not want to jump on the Flathead screwdriver that we mentioned above because destroying it requires extra steps from plastic cases that need to be solved too.
The main components include a circular magnetic disk stack or plates, usually made of glass or ceramic and protected with fine steel later. Sometimes, the plate inside the hard disk can be made of aluminum. Apart from the plate, you will find these parts:
- Spindles that play this drive such as notes on the gramophone,
- The actuator arm that is fixed at one end while the other is moving, and
- Head attached to the arm to read and write data on plates.