Physically destroying hard drive data

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"Arno Wagner" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message news:3js8edFrljiuU3@individual.net
> Previously control_z@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > I have a bunch of old obsolete hard drives with somewhat sensitive
> > information on them I want to physically destroy and put in the landfill.
>
> > Would shooting a couple .30 cal bullets through the hard drives
> > (being sure to penetrate the platters rather than just the outside
> > edges) prevent black hat hackers from recovering the data? I'd imagine
> > some 3-letter government agency could recover some of the data by
> > working on the holy platters, but I'm not worried about that, just
> > about CC numbers and stuff.
>
> Far easier: Open the HDD, remove the platters and just bend them.

What exactly makes you think you can bend them.

> That makes it already extremely expensive

Bending them? Probably.

> and maybe impossible for most practical purposes to recover anything.

And probably much cheaper if you just shatter them.
Or do nothing since refitting them and getting them
to work again is probably extremely expensive too.

>
> If you are worried enough you can also blowtorch the platters, which
> makes recovery completely impossible (in the physically strong sense),
> since above a certain temperature the magnetisation is completely and
> irretrivably lost.
>
> Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may fail to damage
> all platters, even with the .30 bullets.

And now babble mouth is a gun expert too.

>
> Arno

 

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"J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet@snet.net.invalid> wrote in message news:dbb5lc02a84@news1.newsguy.com
> Arno Wagner wrote:
>
> > Previously Odie Ferrous <odie_ferrous@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > Arno Wagner wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Previously Odie Ferrous <odie_ferrous@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > [...]
> > > > > Just strip the drive and smash the platters with a heavy hammer.
> > > >
> > > > > Then dissolve the platters in acid.
> > > >
> > > > > I hate to admit it, but even I could not recover these.
> > > >
> > > > So you could recover if the acid is left out? ;-)=)
> > > >
> > > > Arno
> >
> > > Bit of superglue, then sand the platters smooth so the heads don't
> > > catch on the superglue overflow, and Bob's your auntie!
> >
> > Cool!
>
> I suspect

But you are not sure ....

> he's joking.

And you think babblemouth is not?

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Arno Wagner wrote:
>
> Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may fail to damage
> all platters, even with the .30 bullets.
>

It's very easy to tell, the bullets go all the way through and you
can see the platters penetrated, bent, and partially sticking out
through the exit hole. I've got pics somewhere from a long time ago
when I tried it.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Folkert Rienstra <see_reply-to@myweb.nl> wrote
> Arno Wagner <me@privacy.net> wrote
>> control_z@hotmail.com wrote

>>> I have a bunch of old obsolete hard drives with somewhat sensitive
>>> information on them I want to physically destroy and put in the landfill.

>>> Would shooting a couple .30 cal bullets through the hard drives
>>> (being sure to penetrate the platters rather than just the outside
>>> edges) prevent black hat hackers from recovering the data? I'd
>>> imagine some 3-letter government agency could recover some of the
>>> data by working on the holy platters, but I'm not worried about
>>> that, just about CC numbers and stuff.

>> Far easier: Open the HDD, remove the platters and just bend them.

> What exactly makes you think you can bend them.

I've seen pictures of bent platters, our stupid spooks got all excited about
what they claimed was high security stolen info on a journalist's system.

Not a pretty sight.

>> That makes it already extremely expensive

> Bending them? Probably.

Fraid not.

>> and maybe impossible for most practical purposes to recover anything.

> And probably much cheaper if you just shatter them.

Bit hard shatter metal, stupid.

> Or do nothing since refitting them and getting them
> to work again is probably extremely expensive too.

>> If you are worried enough you can also blowtorch the platters,
>> which makes recovery completely impossible (in the physically
>> strong sense), since above a certain temperature the
>> magnetisation is completely and irretrivably lost.

>> Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may
>> fail to damage all platters, even with the .30 bullets.

> And now babble mouth is a gun expert too.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On Sat, 16 Jul 2005 22:07:18 GMT, Buck <buck@tooth.com> wrote:

>How about just scratching all the surface of the platters, I don't see
>how anyone can retrieve anything after that. Acid and melting them are
>two good ideas too. Or take the platters put em on the floor and stomp
>on them yelling GO AWAY DATA AND DONT COME BACK!

For a really through destruction, just nuke them. Anything that
somehow survives the intense heat of nuclear blasts are likely to be
wiped clean by the electromagnetic discharge.
--
When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already
too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX
To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
> Folkert Rienstra <see_reply-to@myweb.nl> wrote
>> Arno Wagner <me@privacy.net> wrote
>>> control_z@hotmail.com wrote

>>>> I have a bunch of old obsolete hard drives with somewhat sensitive
>>>> information on them I want to physically destroy and put in the landfill.

>>>> Would shooting a couple .30 cal bullets through the hard drives
>>>> (being sure to penetrate the platters rather than just the outside
>>>> edges) prevent black hat hackers from recovering the data? I'd imagine
>>>> some 3-letter government agency could recover some of the data by working
>>>> on the holy platters, but I'm not worried about that, just about CC numbers
>>>> and stuff.

>>> Far easier: Open the HDD, remove the platters and just bend them.

>> What exactly makes you think you can bend them.

> I've seen pictures of bent platters, our stupid spooks got all excited about
> what they claimed was high security stolen info on a journalist's system.

> Not a pretty sight.

http://203.15.102.143:8080/ramgen/media/7929dl_220605a.rm

>>> That makes it already extremely expensive

>> Bending them? Probably.

> Fraid not.

>>> and maybe impossible for most practical purposes to recover anything.

>> And probably much cheaper if you just shatter them.

> Bit hard to shatter metal, stupid.

>> Or do nothing since refitting them and getting them
>> to work again is probably extremely expensive too.

>>> If you are worried enough you can also blowtorch the platters,
>>> which makes recovery completely impossible (in the physically
>>> strong sense), since above a certain temperature the
>>> magnetisation is completely and irretrivably lost.

>>> Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may
>>> fail to damage all platters, even with the .30 bullets.

>> And now babble mouth is a gun expert too.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On Sat, 16 Jul 2005 09:53:29 -0400, "J. Clarke"
<jclarke.usenet@snet.net.invalid> wrote:

>Arno Wagner wrote:

>> Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may fail to damage
>> all platters, even with the .30 bullets.
>
>If there's a hole in the top of the drive and a hole in the bottom, it's a
>fair bet that all platters have been damaged.
>
>I'd be very surprised if any .30 caliber firearm on the market was incapable
>of penetrating completely through a disk drive.

I had the opportunity not long back of shooting up some old HDDs,
mostly in the sub 1GB range. We shot them with quite an assortment of
guns, and it's safe to say that pretty much any modern centerfire
rifle cartridge and any handgun cartridge over .38 caliber will damage
a HD to the point that only high-power spooks can get your data off,
and I'd have my doubts about that. Shotgun slugs would be effective
too, but I'd be concerned about birdshot or buckshot unless you're
very close.

We did compare the effects of a .223 rifle (Keltec SU16) and a .357
magnum revolver (S&W 586 6"). The .223 punched a neat hole in one
side, dished both platters, and stayed in the dent in the first
platter. The case was not deformed much. The .357 punched a much
larger hole, mangled both platters, and exited the back side, leaving
the case resembling a jagged potato chip. A Weatherby .300 magnum
trashed them the most thoroughly, but it's a bit expensive to shoot.

It was fun, but when I need to destroy a pile of HDs, I take a 3 lb
drilling hammer (like a mini sledge hammer) and whack them until
they're bent - usually 3-4 whacks - then throw them in the trash.
This is far faster than anything else I've tried, particularly
anything that involves opening the case. It's less fun than shooting
them, but I have to drive a few hours to be able to shoot drives. If
I could shoot them in my back yard, that would be my choice.


--
Neil Maxwell - I don't speak for my employer

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Previously control_z@hotmail.com wrote:
> Arno Wagner wrote:
>>
>> Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may fail to damage
>> all platters, even with the .30 bullets.
>>

> It's very easy to tell, the bullets go all the way through and you
> can see the platters penetrated, bent, and partially sticking out
> through the exit hole. I've got pics somewhere from a long time ago
> when I tried it.

O.k., if you can visually tell all the platters have been damaged,
that would be fine too. Shooting HDDs is not really an option
here. Getting a weapon you can actually shoot when you like is
difficult.

Arno

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:3k0eqcFs1cr5U1@individual.net
> Folkert Rienstra <see_reply-to@myweb.nl> wrote
> > Arno Wagner <me@privacy.net> wrote
> > > control_z@hotmail.com wrote
>
> > > > I have a bunch of old obsolete hard drives with somewhat sensitive
> > > > information on them I want to physically destroy and put in the landfill.
>
> > > > Would shooting a couple .30 cal bullets through the hard drives
> > > > (being sure to penetrate the platters rather than just the outside
> > > > edges) prevent black hat hackers from recovering the data? I'd
> > > > imagine some 3-letter government agency could recover some of the
> > > > data by working on the holy platters, but I'm not worried about
> > > > that, just about CC numbers and stuff.
>
> > > Far easier: Open the HDD, remove the platters and just bend them.
>
> > What exactly makes you think you can bend them.
>
> I've seen pictures of bent platters, our stupid spooks got all excited about
> what they claimed was high security stolen info on a journalist's system.
>
> Not a pretty sight.
>
> > > That makes it already extremely expensive
>
> > Bending them? Probably.
>
> Fraid not.

Well, let's see how you bend the glass substrate platters from
an IBM DTLA or later, or a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus, shall we.

>
> > > and maybe impossible for most practical purposes to recover anything.
>
> > And probably much cheaper if you just shatter them.
>
> Bit hard shatter metal, stupid.

Very easy when of metal ceramics. Or glass substrate.
Impossible to bend, that stuff.

You have heard of glass substrate haven't you, clueless?

>
> > Or do nothing since refitting them and getting them
> > to work again is probably extremely expensive too.
>
> > > If you are worried enough you can also blowtorch the platters,
> > > which makes recovery completely impossible (in the physically
> > > strong sense), since above a certain temperature the
> > > magnetization is completely and irretrievably lost.
>
> > > Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may
> > > fail to damage all platters, even with the .30 bullets.
>
> > And now babble mouth is a gun expert too.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

<control_z@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1121709113.039535.231920@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> Arno Wagner wrote:
> >
> > Not opening the disk is risky, since you actually may fail to damage
> > all platters, even with the .30 bullets.
> >
>
> It's very easy to tell, the bullets go all the way through and you
> can see the platters penetrated, bent, and partially sticking out
> through the exit hole.

> I've got pics somewhere from

> a long time ago

Right, when drives didn't yet have glass substrate platters.

> when I tried it.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 01:19:01 +0200, "Folkert Rienstra"
<see_reply-to@myweb.nl> wrote:

>The first glass substrate plattered drives are 5 years old now and
>"well past their useby date", clueless.

Only 5 years vs what- 30 years for hard drives in general? The OP
gave an impression the older hard drives are a lot older than 5 years
so they probably predate glass drives.
--
When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already
too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX
To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net