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Thread: [RESOLVED] Safely discard old system

  1. #1

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    Resolved [RESOLVED] Safely discard old system

    After I transfer all the information from my old PC to a new drive, what's the easiest way to wipe my old SSD clean or do I need to remove it and take a hammer to it.

    One other thought, can I just remove the SSD from my old machine and mount it in a new machine as some type of additional/secondary drive?

    Happy New Year

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    Re: Safely discard old system

    At a previous job, we used DBAN to wipe customer data off of old hard drives. The ISO creates a bootable CD/DVD, and then you choose the wipe method you want. Very easy to use.

    Even after using DBAN, I would recommend keeping the hard drive from the old computer and discarding the rest of it. Plug it in to the new computer for extra storage, or tuck it away in a box in a closet, crawl space, attic, etc. Even if the potential downside of discarding the computer with a fully wiped hard drive is practically zero, its still more of a risk than storing the fully wiped hard drive somewhere random inside your house.

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    Re: Safely discard old system

    Remove the SSD and use it in your new computer. There is always need for more space on fast drive like SSD. As it is old drive, you can check drive SMART status with app like CrystalDiskInfo (free and open source).

    Second SSD will give you ability to distribute data access, e.g. files and databases on the second (or third, fourth, etc. drive - current desktop motherboards usually have 4-6 SATA connectors and 1-2 M.2 type).

    Another option is to get USB SSD enclosure and use it as external USB drive.

    As usual, always make backups of SSD info on hard drive as SSDs sometimes die fast (well, HDDs also die but a bit slower and there is greater chance to recover most info if you catch it at the beginning). Regular check of SMART status is the key to find the problem early.

    Happy New Year!

  4. #4
    Fanatic Member Delaney's Avatar
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    Re: Safely discard old system

    If it was not a SSD, I would recommend using a drill. Else you can format the disk and fill it with 1Ko files until it is full.

    At work, for confidential reason, all old disks are destroyed (they disassembled and are burnt I think)

    They are also adapters to convert your internal disk to external like the Sata to USB Adapter. Make you a big usb stick
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    Re: Safely discard old system

    When I did admin 10+ years ago, we used a drill to actually go through the platters of old drives, but it was very hard on drill bits. There are many utilities available that will erase a hard drive using x number of passes, and these work well. Filling the drive with random nonsense amounts to a one-pass erase. More passes are better. The DOD has multiple standards varying (IIRC) from 3 to 35 passes. I always thought the 7-pass standard was fine. These utilities take a loooooooong time to run, proportional to the number of passes. If I did this regularly I might set up a machine to do nothing else, as the erase operation completely ties up the machine. HTH, Lars

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    Re: Safely discard old system

    As stated before, I would go with either putting the disk in the new PC or do a re-write x times. Just for recycle reason. Else I would really love to power drill or burn or bomb or hadouken the s$cker! :P
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    Re: Safely discard old system

    Thanks for the replies.

    If I don't remove the drive I'll check into "do a re-write x times" I don't know how to do that but I should be able to find the information I need.

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    Re: Safely discard old system

    See here for a variety of good free choices:

    https://www.lifewire.com/free-data-d...ograms-2626174

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    Super Moderator Shaggy Hiker's Avatar
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    Re: Safely discard old system

    You might also consider putting it in a pot of water and boiling it for five minutes. One thing about things like SD cards and silicon based memory (should apply to SSD, as well), is that it is destroyed at just below the boiling point of water.

    I was seeing what it took to kill an SD card. A glass of water overnight had no effect. The washing machine had no effect. The dishwasher had no effect, but boiling it for five minutes and the chip looked fine, but the computer recognized it as well as it would a rock.
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  10. #10
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    Re: Safely discard old system

    Well if we are going to a destructive suggestion I believe that the boiling water one is a weak option.
    I stand by my suggestions at #6, especially the hadouken !
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  11. #11

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    Re: Safely discard old system

    Quote Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker View Post
    You might also consider putting it in a pot of water and boiling it for five minutes. One thing about things like SD cards and silicon based memory (should apply to SSD, as well), is that it is destroyed at just below the boiling point of water.

    I was seeing what it took to kill an SD card. A glass of water overnight had no effect. The washing machine had no effect. The dishwasher had no effect, but boiling it for five minutes and the chip looked fine, but the computer recognized it as well as it would a rock.
    Is this what you do when your not counting fish. lol

    Yeah I really was talking about destroying it but thanks for all the interesting suggestion. Also, thanks for all the suggestion on wiping it clean.

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