Destroying data on a CD-R?

[Blair]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is essential
that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy the data by
formatting.
How do I do this?
Blair

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is essential
that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy the data by
formatting.
How do I do this?
Blair

Several deep scratches applied to the label side of the CDs will render
them unreadable, as will shredding (many home office shredders shreds
CDs and credit cards along with paper) them or simply breaking them into
pieces. Some people have reported great fun watching the light show
produced by microwaving them, but I don't recommend this technique.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is essential
that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy the data by
formatting.
How do I do this?
Blair

Throw them in a fire.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish
to dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is
essential that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy
the data by formatting.
How do I do this?

Scratch them, break them in haf, etc.

 

[Vanguard]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is
essential that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy
the data by formatting.
How do I do this?

Place each on a paper plate, towel, or napkin and nuke them in a
microwave. Enjoy the sparkly show. Be sure to turn off the smoke
detectors in the area and to stop nuking when the sparking wanes (as the
metal will continue to heat up and burn the plastic).

Score them with a deep gouge across their width and flex them in half
while pointing them into a wastebasket. Snap, they break in half.

Burn them.

Run an Xacto blade at a slight angle from the perpendicular along the
top surface (where is the foil upon which the data is recorded). You
can probably then get at the edge of the foil to peel it off (and then
tear it into shreds).

Use them as coasters.

 

[Guest]

Give them to my 4-year-old nephew and tell him , "Now take care of these
because they are very important". Complete destruction inevitably follows.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and
wish to dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so
it is essential that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot
destroy the data by formatting.
How do I do this?

Microwave.
Fire.
Hammer.
Sharp object.
Fold them in many pieces.
Soak them in gasoline overnight (fire is optional afterwards.)
Lighter fluid.
Nail polish remover.
Skeet shooting targets.

In other words - stop looking for a high-tech solution and think simplistic.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Microwave.
Fire.
Hammer.
Sharp object.
Fold them in many pieces.
Soak them in gasoline overnight (fire is optional afterwards.)
Lighter fluid.
Nail polish remover.

Or nail polish itself!

Skeet shooting targets.

In other words - stop looking for a high-tech solution and think
simplistic.

Right!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and
wish to dispose of them securely as they contain important data,
so it is essential that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I
cannot destroy the data by formatting.
How do I do this?

Microwave.
Fire.
Hammer.
Sharp object.
Fold them in many pieces.
Soak them in gasoline overnight (fire is optional afterwards.)
Lighter fluid.
Nail polish remover.
Skeet shooting targets.

In other words - stop looking for a high-tech solution and think
simplistic.

Right!

Or nail polish itself!

True on the nail polish - double damage.

I thought of nail polish remover because of the corrosiveness and how many
people have it in the home.
(Wives, Sisters, Daughters, whatever.)

Another thing that would work - you know those home fresheners (liquid -
goes in the "plug-in" products to heat the liquid and disperse the scent?

I had one of those out one day and it tipped over on a countertop.. The tip
where the oil is released slowly (wick effect) was touching the countertop -
and within an hour - it had eaten through the laminate on this countertop.

So freshen your home and ruin your CDs at the same time! woo!

 

[zulu]

Superglue them together in pairs, face to face

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Blair wrote

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and
wish to dispose of them securely as they contain important data,
so it is essential that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I
cannot destroy the data by formatting.
How do I do this?

Superglue them together in pairs, face to face

HAH!

I like it. Not as destructive - but funny!

 

[Manny Borges]

LOL...we must have the same nephew .

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who do understand binary
and those who don't.

 

[What's in a Name?]

Callmark1 AKA (e-mail address removed) in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics on 6/18/2006 after much thought,came
up with this gem:

Give them to my 4-year-old nephew and tell him , "Now take care of
these because they are very important". Complete destruction
inevitably follows.

*********************************************************************

and you kill 2 birds with one stone
1.they are destroyed
2.the child has something to occupy themselves with
max
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[Stan Brown]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is essential
that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy the data by
formatting.
How do I do this?

With a hammer.

Yes, I'm serious. Take them out to a nice irregularly-shaped rock and
hammer them, one at a time, till they shatter. Be sure to wear eye
protection because the shards are sharp.

Some people suggest microwaving them. That will destroy the metallic
layer in which data are written, but it may also destroy the
appliance.

 

[Leythos]

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is essential
that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy the data by
formatting.
How do I do this?

I use a utility knife, score then in two directions, then wearing a pair
of leather gloves I break them in half (across both scores). Little
flecks of media will go in different directions and the gloves protect
your hands.

 

[LVTravel]

And I just use a pair of medical shears (the type that will
cut metal chains and pennies in half) to cut them into many
little pieces. So much fun and so little time to have it
in!

 

[Curt Christianson]

Maybe not the most "important" thread of the day, but certainly the most
entertaining!

--
Curt BD-MVBT

http://dundats.mvps.org/
http://dundats.proboards27.com/index.cgi
http://www.aumha.org/

 

[Vanguard]

in message

Some people suggest microwaving them. That will destroy the metallic
layer in which data are written, but it may also destroy the
appliance.

Put a cup of water inside with the CD.

 

[Harry Ohrn]

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=how+to+destroy+a+CD&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

 

[Curt Christianson]

God bless Google, eh Harry? ;-)

--
Curt BD-MVBT

http://dundats.mvps.org/
http://dundats.proboards27.com/index.cgi
http://www.aumha.org/

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=how+to+destroy+a+CD&btnG=Google+Search&meta=


--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

I have now collected 15CD-Rs which I used to backup my data and wish to
dispose of them securely as they contain important data, so it is
essential that they are destroyed. As they are CD-Rs I cannot destroy the
data by formatting.
How do I do this?
Blair