[ale] OT: Erasing a toasted drive

[Greg Freemyer]

On 10/28/05, Geoffrey <esoteric at 3times25.net> wrote:
> 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 took the word "better" to mean "more realistic".  I just don't think
the magnet approach is realistic.  Most people seem to think they can
take a $30 tape demagnatizer and demagnetize a disk.  Magnets built
for the job cost around $5K.  Pretty hard to justify.  Even government
agencies don't use them from my limited knowledge.  I've been told
they use really big shredders that can shred the whole drive.  Never
seen that myself....

> > 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.

Personally, if I was worried about proprietary data I would not have
called Dell in the first place.  Just bought a new laptop drive (less
than $100) and replaced it myself.  Then I could easily destroy the
physical drive and not have to worry about the warrenty issues.

Greg
--
Greg Freemyer
The Norcross Group
Forensics for the 21st Century