Shredding hard drives destruction of hard disks, erased hard drives, whatever you’d like to label it it’s an important business that requires the utmost precision and knowledge. No matter if you’re an individual or an enterprise and even an official organization There’s no doubt that, sooner or later you’ll need to send your old laptop off into the air for recycling.
In the year 2020, around 4 billion computers were sold across the globe. That’s over 400 million PCs will be outdated every year! Although many people believe that their information is secure from being stolen once it’s dumped in landfills, the truth isn’t the case.
With advancements in technology, which can cost as little as $100, it’s never been more easy for criminals to gain access to your personal information. The best way to be sure that your data is secure is to invest in a shredder for hard drives.
An understanding of the process of shredding of hard drives entails is essential to ensure that the process is carried out in a safe and efficient manner. Since the procedure has become commonplace numerous businesses and individuals have been stung by untrained workers who aren’t aware of how much power these devices are able to generate.
If they didn’t follow the steps precisely enough In not following the steps properly, they’ve caused irreparable harm to the older computers and rendered them unusable and costing their business or their home enormous amounts of dollars!
This article will give you all the information you need to proper destruction of your hard drive as well as other issues like greater security levels as well as peace of mind.
What exactly is Hard Drive Shredding?
Shredding of a hard drive is a procedure where the user takes apart the hard drive and then tear it up layers by layers until nothing remains except dust (and perhaps 1s and 0s). This technique ensures that all information stored within the drive has been destroyed and cannot be read.
Even with the most advanced technology it’s difficult to retrieve the data from a drive that has been destroyed since everything is broken into tiny pieces that hackers can’t even restore it to its original state. There are other options like degaussing but this method is simply de-magnetizing your hard drives , but not tearing them up like it would be with the help of a machine.
What Do You Know When Your Hard Drive is in need of being shredded?
It is possible to determine whether your hard drive is in need of shredding by following these simple steps:
If you’re sending your drive away to be recycled, you should ensure that the label mentions ‘PCB’ or Circuit Board. The PCB is the place to store all of the necessary components (CPU RAM, CPU and so on. ) Without it the old computer won’t function as it should.
If there’s no sticker that says PCB on the exterior of the drive, make sure you check the size. In general, desktop computers come with bigger HDDs as compared to laptops which means it could be an SSD in the event that yours is unusually small. SSDs are difficult to damage, and generally require specialist methods like degaussing.
Another method to determine whether your hard drive requires shredding is by examining the model and make. The older HDDs are typically extremely heavy (and large) however modern HDD’s are extremely small and light (like credit card).
Finally, do the simplest Google search of your brand name and model. If you can find someone selling second-hand versions of your item It’s likely that it’s not appropriate to take it to recycling! However in the event that you don’t discover anything about your drive on the internet, it’s the time to shred.
Advantages to Hard Drive Shredding
There are numerous benefits for getting rid of outdated computer components like:
Prevention of opportunistic criminals One of the primary reasons why people choose to delete your hard disks is because it stops criminals who are opportunistic from gaining access to sensitive or personal information.
Usually, they sell their gadgets and appliances through websites such as eBay to pay cash for them, but there are some who take these items off the market and steal anything they can including details of passwords and credit card numbers as well as the bank’s account number!
Any information in the incorrect hands could result in death Therefore, getting rid of outdated technology is vital to avoid identity theft.
Making sure that your data does not fall in the wrong hands: In the same way as preventing criminals from committing opportunistic crimes hard-drive shredding is crucial to safeguard the environment.
It’s easy to recycle all electronic devices to an experienced business is a great way to beginning, but if someone is able to gain access to your system, there’s always the chance that they’ll have access to the information of previous users.
This could range from images taken with old cameras to preferences in software that contain crucial business information. A great example was in 2012 when more than 300 Syrian activists were able to have their Gmail accounts compromised after recycling their laptops.
When hackers gained access to their personal data It was just a matter of time until Bashar al-Assad’s government was able to track them down and killed the hackers. This is why it is essential to make sure that you’ve disposed of all your information prior to disposing of your electronics.
How do you shred a Hard Drive?
There are two primary methods to dispose of old hard drives: physical shredding and degaussing. Both methods are highly efficient however physical shredders can be employed for different devices like old mobile phones or DVDs, credit cards and so on. Degaussers, on the other hand, are usually only appropriate for computers.
Physical Shredding: Prior to deciding on one particular machine, it is important to be aware of the type that drive it is you’re working with as the process differs dependent on the type of drive, SSD or an HDD. SSDs are commonly used in laptops with newer models because they’re lighter and smaller than traditional hard drives.
The drawback, however, is that they’re hard to eliminate and this has led several companies to offer services to help with this. In contrast the conventional HDDs are much simpler to eliminate, but physical shredders aren’t as effective in destroying each and every piece.
Here’s how it is done:
1 . Disconnect the drive your computer , and disconnect any wires connecting it so that the drive can be laid flat an unflattable table or any other surfaces.
2 . Set the machine up over the device and then lower the lid to ensure that it can begin feeding your hard drive into it slowly. Don’t push anything into the machine as this could probably cause it to jam to the point of being completely jammed!
3 . Make sure that the remains of the shredded emerge from the other side, then switch off the machine.
4 . If you are planning to use the old hard drive to do any other purpose in the near future, make sure you remove all pieces left behind using either a screwdriver or magnet; else they could cause major harm to the next computer!
Degaussing: With regards to degaussers there are two distinct types work in different ways. One is specifically designed to work with rotating drives, while the other one is suitable to work with older SSHD drives. There are also machines that are suitable for both however it’s worthwhile to research before making a decision as not all degaussing companies provide take-back programs similar to physical shredders.
If this is the case then you must look up reviews on the internet before you give them your company.
1 . Review the specifications of the machine before returning it to your home to ensure that it is compatible with your drive. If the company only provides degausses for spinning drives Don’t waste time since this method is extremely slow and costly!
2 . After you’ve established that the device is functioning, carefully take it from the case and connect any wires to begin conducting tests. Be sure to connect the power strip that has an on/off button so you don’t have to disconnect and plug in each one time.
3 . Note down which wires are connected to which and gradually begin feeding the drive-through, while looking for bumps or lumps that are not even to emerge. If your device is stuck or you see sparks coming out of the device, switch off the machine immediately and call an expert for assistance.
4 . After you’ve fed the entire drive, turn on the degausser to finish the process. Then, carefully remove the remaining pieces using the help of a screwdriver or magnet to make sure you don’t hurt your own. Once you’ve finished, figure out the best way to seal any holes left, and then add recycled-safe tape to protect yourself in the event of.
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