Got a pile of old drives and thinking to get rid of it? Wait a while and give it another thought as it can lead to data breaches. You may end up with leaking the data or can be the victim of latest cyber laws. There might be some crucial documents or sensitive data that need to be removed before disposing of. Here are some effective ways for hard drive data wiping to help you get the job done.
Use data destruction software
When it comes to wiping your hard drive, data destruction software is by far the easiest way that can be used. Intended to overwrite a hard drive so many times in a specific way, this piece of software works on the drive until it’s nearly impossible to extract information from it. Some hard drive erasing standards may prohibit the use of data destruction software as there is a possibility of user error. It also involves a variety of software and methods, and hence it is a great tool for wiping your drive unless it contains national security information.
You must try out this method if you need to use the drive again. This process will also erase any manufacturer recovery partitions that are found on the drive.
Use Degausser for complete wiping
As hard drives are usually coated with magnetic material, one high tech way to clean your hard drive is to disrupt the magnetic domains with a degausser. Some degaussers are capable of erasing dozens of hard drives in an hour and cost only a few dollars.
While opting to go this route, you need to keep in mind that you are interfering with your hard disk’s data storage. That means you will lose all the firmware rendering the drive completely useless. If you prefer to use your hard drive after being erased, use of data destruction software is the best choice for you.
Physical destruction
Physically destroying a hard drive is the most effective and bulletproof way to make sure that the data on it is no longer available. Disintegrate, grinding, smashing, drilling, melting, pulverizing, or shredding, no matter what method you choose, take precautions to save yourself from harm. You can even merely nail or drill through the hard drive while making sure the hard drive platter is being penetrated each time. Apart from being relatively cheap and easy method, it also makes the safest way to erase your data.
Remember, by utterly destroying your hard drive you will lose the data forever. Hence opt for this method if you need to completely and securely erase your hard drive.
Conclusion
In this age of rampant ID theft, just erasing your files or reformatting the hard drive is not enough to ensure your privacy. Now it is more important than ever to make sure you have securely erased your personal information before abandoning the old drive. Follow any of these methods for flawless hard drive data wiping in just a matter of time.
