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Thread: Why would you erase a disk if you could throw it away?

  1. #1

    Why would you erase a disk if you could throw it away?

    I've read so many articles about how to go about trying to erase and rewrite all information on your HDD to the point where it cannot be recovered. If people were so worried about the fact that what they may have done was on those disks, then why dont they just scratch them up with some steal wool or something and set them free on the side of the road? If you ditch the HDD, could there be an other evidence left on the rest of your computer or periferals?

  2. #2
    Senior Member z31200n3's Avatar
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    You know, ive often pondered this too. I dont think ditching on the side of the road is the best idea (it 'could' get discovered and used as evidence against you....i mean, why would you go to the trouble of demolishing a HD if you hadnt dont anything wrong?) So, in regards to the posibility of still having your disk found, i would say, yea, erase the darn thing. And erase, and erase, and erase. And if you still want to ditch it, find the nearest active volcanoe and throw it in


    but better yet, just dont do anything worth having someone knock on your door with a search warrant for your HD.

    -z3

  3. #3
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    What about governments with classified data? It has to be disposed of according to doctrine other wise other governments have ways of retrieving data. Even if it is damaged or incomplete it can still be of some use

    I'd wipe it, then scratch it then burn it with an oxy

    If you just toss it on the side of the road it may not be completely destroyed and they may not be able to trace it to you but it may have some info on it about something that doesnt necessarily have anything to do with you as an individual ..

    How you dispose of a hdd depends on what is on it

  4. #4
    If people were so worried about the fact that what they may have done was on those disks, then why dont they just scratch them up with some steal wool or something and set them free on the side of the road? If you ditch the HDD, could there be an other evidence left on the rest of your computer or periferals?
    why not that better use a s/w which erases the data beyond recovery and then do what ever you wnat , even damaged hard disk's data can be recovered , be what ever it may and knowing about CIA and FBI ,they will go to any lengths to recover data espicially if you a terrorist and an al quida member!!

  5. #5
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    As a side note, what you want to do is either place the platters in a state of dust or a melted lump of metal. All other forms of the hd can have data recovered from them. Chop it up and they can painstakingly peice it together and read data off it. Overwriting is not completely safe unless its say local police or someone who is not govt funded. The govt has special techniques that can recover data from overwritten hdd's. The techniques exploit the inner workings of the hdd which you cannot control.
    <chsh> I've read more interesting technical discussion on the wall of a public bathroom than I have at AO at times

  6. #6
    well said, i remember a case which i saw in t.v ,ver a man ripped off his hard disk to detroy the evidence against him ,he thought that he had got clear off , but the state gov.t got in touch with fbi and fbi got the data read and handed over it to the cops , now that man servers 30 years in prison
    ive heard that the fbi people use physical methods to recover data, they just press the head of the reader to keep it off from bouncing.
    well som fbi !

  7. #7
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    Well for obvious reasons, I personally prefer to erase/format a disk then merely throw it away. Unless I were to submerge it in oil, light it ablaze, then melt it in the toaster oven, and finally throw away the scraps at the local dump, then I wouldn't throw the disk away. But you have to make sure it's contents can not be recoverable. Simply leaving it on the side of the road isn't smart because someone can easily pick it up, load it into their computer, and see what's on it.
    Space For Rent.. =]

  8. #8
    Dead Man Walking
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    there is nothing on a HDD that a good old fashion acetlyne torch wont erase. I think the point everyone is making is that only complete and utter destruction to the point of the platters not being recognizable is the only way to truly "eleminate evidence"

  9. #9
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    Hi
    was just wondering if anybody has tried destroying evidence using hydrochloric acid.
    I know that the fumes are strong enough to wipe out everything on a music tape,as i learned the hard way
    Never miss a good opportunity to shut up.....

  10. #10
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    titanmike: Yes, that would work. Oh, and:

    there is nothing on a HDD that a good old fashion acetlyne torch wont erase. I think the point everyone is making is that only complete and utter destruction to the point of the platters not being recognizable is the only way to truly "eleminate evidence"
    Yup, thats the general point
    Space For Rent.. =]

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