A new use for Linux

[Les Mikesell]

Les wrote:

> A straight magnet can mess it up a bit, but I don't know about total
> erasure.  Generally degaussing takes an AC field, such as that from the
> degausing strip around a TV set or monitor (you degause tube type
> monitors and tv's to keep the color guns from being biased and giving
> fringes around the images).  And a hard disk drive is "saturation" type
> recording, and some of the new ones use a very deep form of recording
> that is different from the surface recording done on magnetic tape.  So
> if you wish to degauss a drive (remove all forms of data including
> formatting and bad sector stuff), then a very high strength degaussing
> platform is needed.  Or a 5 lb or heavier hammer applied with gusto to
> the platters seems to do a pretty thorough job, unless you are
> discussing state secrets or the next advent of computing.

Or use that hammer to drive a small steel punch all the way through the 
drive.  It's quick and someone would have to be pretty determined to get 
any data back after that.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com