New Guy
I have a sweet deal set up where I get lots of hard drives. I had been told drilling through them was the only way to guarantee that the data was destroyed.
We just can't do it anymore. We have ruined so many bits and then someone recommended an $80 diamond tip bit and we destroyed that as well.
Is there anyone else out there who has to be HIPAA compliant and can share how they are disabling them without a shredder?
thanks
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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A heavy duty degausser would work. They are expensive but maybe a used one could be found.
President, VIP Recycling
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I have heard of people taking a pic and a hammer, and hammering the pick through them.
They are also machines that will drill a hole easily enough through them.
Many different options, but I do agree that finding one that is less stress on your body is always good.
George Beale - Founder & President - info@viprecyclingjunkremoval.com
VIP Recycling Junk Removal LLC - Premier Scrap Metal, Junk, & Electronic Recyclers!
http://www.viprecyclingjunkremoval.com
eWaste Hunter
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You don't have to drill through them. Get yourself a cobalt bit, turn the drive upside down (so the circuit board is on top of the drive). Now drill through the circuit board an inch or so offset from the centre of the drive. Once you hit the plate at the other side of the drive you can stop. More often than not this will be stainless steel, which is why your bits will be wearing out.
You are now drilling through aluminium, rather than stainless steel. Using a pillar drill will help too. Put as many holes in the thing as you feel comfortable with.
Bit of a waste though.
I know lying is wrong, but if the elephant man came in now in a blouse with some make up on, and said, "How do I look?" Would you say, bearing in mind he's depressed and has respiratory problems, would you say, "Go and take that blusher off you mis-shapened elephant tranny?" No. You'd say, "You look nice... John""
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
Why aren't you completely breaking them down? I believe there are threads here that show pictures of the breakdown to HD boards, aluminum cases, copper windings, and then shred (scrap magnets and the platters).
Slacker
I break them down all the way. Sets of torx bits are about $5 each on ebay. I destroy the platters by shearing them into 4 pieces each with a metal shear ($70)... A photo of the results are kept for proof of destruction. I then recycle as clean AL, shred, and circuit boards.... I charge companies $4.50 / drive for this service. Drilling will make these drives not work, but they still can be read if the hacker is resourceful enough. Cutting the platters into 4 and mixing them in with hundreds of other peaces make me feel confident that there won't be a data breach.
Here's a small pic of my messy work area again... in it you can see my shear and my screwdriver hanging above the bench.
Here's a sample of my proof of destruction form. I take all the photos and create a pdf for the company the work is being done for and submit this pdf for payment. In the actual document you can zoom in very close and can read the serial numbers of the drives off of it... they match the serial numbers with the serial numbers they gave me.
Last edited by wdaddy; 05-21-2012 at 10:25 AM.
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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If you drill use HSS (high speed steel) bits. Learn how to re-sharpen them. You can buy a cheap drill bit sharpener at Harbor Freight. All you need to do is scratch the platters. I break all drives down. The magnets are great!!
Copycat
Buy one of these they work great for crushing hard drives. You can even split some wood!
U can find them for between 200-350. Go higher in price. You do get what you pay for.
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/outdoor...ter-73677.html
New Guy
THanks for the great info....Obviously I am new. What are you doing with the magnets?
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Neodymium-Ha...item2c654e64b7Originally Posted by beimer
We're the renegades of Junk!
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
I scratch the platters with a box cutter. Make all sorts of scores all around them so nothing can be read. The ones that are unreadable I then sell on ebay aswell. However reading this im thinking I will start cutting them in pieces. You can also fold them over several times and make them unreadable. When you bend them the crackling you hear is the coating breaking up.
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a fun way i take care of them is remove the top cover so the platter is exposed and plug a bunch of them into an old power supply on my bench and let them spin up to speed then take your pocket knife or screwdriver and drag it along the face of the platter as its spinning,
just an idea if your tearing them apart anyway, it definitely ruins the platter.
Slacker
Well, that would take care of the top of the first platter, but what about the bottom and the other platters? Also, watch out for glass platters, try that and you could have glass shards everywhere. I have only found 1 glass platter so far, but they do shatter.
Crt & Ewaste Specialist
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I swear people its been said before. Take a hammer to the motor and bend it down and in. And just like that that hdd will be done
Born to think, destine to succeed.
Slacker
Hammer the drive will effectively bend the platters and make the drive un-readable. If your clients are happy with this solution, then it's very time effective... Also, as long as your recycling buyer buys them like this... as, dirty aluminum maybe? Or just shred? I don't know. Taking them apart to separate out the parts after bending them would be a pain...
My clients ask for more and that's what I give them. You have to find out what will be acceptable and go from there.
Crt & Ewaste Specialist
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wonder how the platters do againt a torch or plasma cutter lol.
The platters should melt with just a propane torch. I was using a turkey cooker powered with propane to heat up Al/Cu heat sinks to separate the copper out and some of the Al melted as well. Mike.
"Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}
Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked
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If you want to do a Degausser...Look up "Bulk Eraser" on Ebay. I bought a Heavy Duty one for around $20 and it'll wipe it Clean. It doesn't look like much, but try to reformat it...Not going to happen!
“Most people miss opportunity because it wears overalls and looks like work .” ― Thomas A. Edison
www.thortekrecycling.com
A small hydraulic press also works good, it will bend/or break the drive in half, also bending or shattering the platters inside. Fairly quick, quiet, no mess, no disassembly needed.
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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