[ale] OT: Erasing a toasted drive

[Geoffrey]

Greg Freemyer wrote:
>>>First, find a whopping-big magnet ...
>>
>>This is likely a better solution then a simple format.
>>
> 
> False, disk drives are enclosed in metal that redirects the magnatism
> around the platters.  Takes a huge magnet.  Think small refridgerator
> size.  Maybe a little smaller for a laptop drive.

False?  So what's the difference between a 'whopping-big magnet' and a 
'huge magnet?'  My point was that simply reformatting the drive touches 
very little of the actual data on the drive.  Now if he'd said a 10lb 
magnet and you said a 100lb magnet, then I can see the difference.

> I would remove the drive carrier from the Dell.  Then remove the drive
> from the drive carrier. Then open up the drive (normally uses some
> very small specialty screw drivers.  You can buy those at Fry's I
> think).  Be aware that one of the screws is normally in the middle of
> the spindle and covered by a paper label.  Removal of this screw is
> normally fairly obvious, but I doubt Dell will look very hard.

and very likely void the warranty on the whole thing.  Better chance of 
saying you had to replace the drive.
> 
> Once you have the drive open, pop the platters off the spindle. 
> (Fairly easy to do the few times I've done it.)  Reassemble everything
> but the platters and send it back to Dell.  Worst case Dell makes you
> pay for the new drive.

Wrong, they will likely void the whole warranty.  You'd be better off 
replacing the drive.  At least then, the drive sticker that says 'void 
if removed' will still be in place.

I would suggest he look into how replacing the drive would impact the 
warranty.

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey