Video: Hard drives: Safe ways to dump your data
If you only have a few hard drives to erase, then a software solution such as DBAN[1] or a hardware solution such as using a hammer to pound 6-inch nails through the drives[2] is workable. But if you go through a lot of drives, or you've allowed the disposal pile to get a bit out of control, you need something that's a little more professional.
Enter the StarTech four-bay drive eraser[3].
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Regular readers will know that I'm a big fan of wiping drives by either using DBAN or just taking the 700-pound gorilla approach and hammering nails through them. But these methods have drawbacks.
As good as the DBAN software is, it's not perfect. It means dedicating a PC to the wiping task, the software doesn't support the Secure Erase feature present on modern SSDs, and there's always the chance that you erase the wrong drive in a fit of carelessness. And as much as I love hammering nails into drives, it's really not something I want to do in an office environment too often.
And this method doesn't allow for the old drive to be repurposed.
I've also been remiss in recent months and allowed a huge pile of storage drives requiring erasure to mount up to the point of embarrassment. I'm talking dozens of them, all staring at me.
Which is why the StarTech four-bay drive eraser has been a welcome addition to the PC Doc HQ.
Right off the bat, I feel the need to say that not everyone needs a hardware drive eraser. In fact, unless you go through a lot of drives, or you're swimming