To trulyerase hard drive data forever, you’ll have to take some extra steps.

Since the OS can’t see the data, the drive looks empty when you look at its contents.

Remember thaterase, delete, wipe, and shred are technically different terms.

DBAN hard drive wiping program

Garner Products, Inc.

The hard drive is still usable afterward.

Must have at least a little knowledge on how to use this bang out of software.

Not the most secure method, since the drive is still usable.

Garner HD-2 Hard Drive Degausser

Garner Products, Inc.

The next two methods will make the drive unusable.

Do this if, for example, you’re selling or giving the drive away.

Usually isn’t a free-to-use method.

open hard drive with the platter shattered

Jon Ross / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Important

Degaussing a modern hard drive will also erase the drive’sfirmware, rendering the drive completely useless.

it’s possible for you to do it yourself for free.

Could be dangerous without professional help.

According to theNIST Guidelines for Media Sanitization (800-88 Rev.

Warning

Wear safety goggles and take great caution when destroying a hard drive yourself.

If you’d rather not do this yourself, several companies offer the service for a fee.

A few services will even fire a round of bullets through your hard drive and send you the video!