Hard Drive Destruction Methods: Which One is Right for You?
Hard Drive Destruction for Dummies
The “For Dummies” book series, known for its beginner-friendly approach, has come a long way since its first publication, DOS for Dummies, written in 1991. In this article, we leave behind the DOS era and delve into hard drive destruction methods for the 21st century.
If you’ve recently upgraded computer equipment, you’ve likely replaced hard drives. But what do you do with the old ones? Storing them, disposing of them, or repurposing them aren’t the best solutions, especially when they may contain sensitive information. Let’s explore effective methods to ensure your data is properly destroyed and no longer retrievable.
What is Hard Drive Destruction?
Hard drive destruction is the process of rendering a hard drive unusable, unreadable, and inaccessible to ensure that sensitive data is properly disposed of, complying with regulations that mandate data protection.
Methods for Destroying Hard Drives
There are several methods to destroy hard drives: erasure, degaussing, and physical destruction.
Erasure
Erasing your hard drives before disposal is a good practice, but it doesn’t always completely eliminate the data. When you delete a file on your computer, it’s not erased from your hard drive—the operating system marks that sector of the hard drive as “available.” A deleted file will remain intact until it is overwritten by another file. This is why erasure is not a sure means of destroying your hard drive data.
Degaussing
Degaussing is a cost-effective method of data sanitization, making data unrecoverable. However, it has some limitations:
- Solid-state drives (SSDs) pose a challenge as degaussing doesn’t destroy the data on SSDs due to their data storage mechanism.
- After degaussing, you cannot confirm if all the data has been destroyed, so it must be assumed that data remains.
- The effectiveness of degaussing may decrease as drive density increases.
Physical Destruction
Proper physical destruction of a hard drive renders it inoperable and impossible to reassemble. Partnering with a professional shredding company that can physically shred the hard drive, ensuring no data can be retrieved or the drive reassembled, is the best way to go about it. Not only can you be sure destruction will be complete, the shredding company can recycle all of the shredded material and provide you with a Certificate of Destruction to prove your legal compliance in case of an audit.
The Most Effective Method
ShredLink provides the most effective and secure method of destroying hard drives and other data storage devices. We not only shred your hard drives but also recycle the shredded material in an environmentally-friendly manner. You’ll receive a Certificate of Destruction for your records, documenting your company’s compliance with state and federal privacy laws. If you have unprotected hard drives or data storage devices that require destruction, give us a call at 504-885-0186 or complete the form on this page. We not only destroy your data—but we also provide peace of mind.