kimscruzer

Thats what I will , destroy it. Thanks everyone!

mhansen6

I just got a new computer and the tech took the hard drive out of my old computer and put it in my new one as a back up hard drive. So I still have access to all my old data and if I ever need more space I have an extra hard drive.

Tussymussy

The hammer is good as it will crack the case. Once the case of the hard drive is opened the drive is wrecked. Drilling is OK to but harder work than the hammer.

Caswews

the only thing that I know of for sure to erase or almost is an magnet a very strong one place on top of the hard drive and left there for a while. That is what I had a techy tell me before. Don't know if it is still true or not ..

Evie

My brother is a computer geek and this is what he did to my old computer. Destroying computer parts physically is dangerous to the environment (and I think illegal in most states) because of the metals used in its components. Get a heavy-duty magnet!

auniqueview

Unless it is written over, information on the drive can be recovered. There is a program that writes over the entire drive. If you are wanting to be able to reuse the computer, without someone being able to access anything on it, you need to run this program on it. Or remove this drive, and replace with the a new one.

Reformatting the drive will not permanently erase the info on it, and there are criminals in prison who could tell you all about it, lol. If you don't know about opening a computer, it's best that you don't. I'm betting you have a neighborhood teen who could do it for you, a lot cheaper than either Best Buy or Staples, and would be happy to do so in exchange for a trip to the local hamburger hang out. Just don't give them the hard drive you remove. New hard drives are pretty cheap, if you want to replace the old one.

And I know all this because....my son, built his first computer from the chip up, at 13, and keeps me from doing things I would surely regret, computer wise,lol.

quiltmau

Hammer works-my husband works for IBM and he says the best way is to destroy it. Liquid, blunt force, car speed bump, shotgun-whatever way you choose-leave it it many pieces

carolstickelmaier

I fixed m mine............Burned it in a hot large fire....!!

lillybeck

I know you have already had many answers but I wanted to let you know that I consulted with a very good computer guy and this is what he said.Use a program called DBAN
. Here is the link. http://www.dban.org/

Keep in mind that this download is an ISO file. Follow the instructions on the web site.

Or you can take it to your local computer repair shop. They will usually do this service for a small fee $25.00 - $50.00 ( I charge $35.00)

momto5

I pulled my hard drive and put so many nails in it there was no way anyone could get information from it. Then, just to be sure, I used it for target practice with my Remington 12ga. 870 Police Special pump shotgun. After about twenty rounds, I;m pretty sure it was "deleted"............. :lol: