Destroying data on a CD-R?

[Blair]

Thanks to everyone who replied.
I could have used Google but it wouldn't have resulted in seeing the
entertaining replies
Blair

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

 

[Dennis Marks]

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

Sandpaper on the label side.

--
Dennis M. Marks

Disclaimer: The above is my opinion. I do not guarantee it. Be sure to
back up any files involved and use at your own risk. Batteries not
included. Not for internal use. Don't run with knives.

 

[Gordon]

Sandpaper on the label side.

Don't you mean sandpaper on the OPPOSITE side to the label?
Just drill the thing full of holes, preferably with a GPMG!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

in message



Put a cup of water inside with the CD.

You may well be right that this protects the microwave oven, but personally
I wouldn't try it. There's no reason to run any such risk at all, since it's
so easy to destroy a CD by simple mechanical means.

 

[Guest]

What the heck is a GPMG?

Don't you mean sandpaper on the OPPOSITE side to the label?
Just drill the thing full of holes, preferably with a GPMG!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

What the heck is a GPMG?

I didn't know either, but Google came to the rescue again.

http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/pw/pw_mg.htm

 

[Dennis Marks]

Don't you mean sandpaper on the OPPOSITE side to the label?
Just drill the thing full of holes, preferably with a GPMG!

No I meant what I said. The recording is on the silver surface directly
beneath the label. That is why you can remove scratches on the shiny
surface of a CD without losing data.

--
Dennis M. Marks

Disclaimer: The above is my opinion. I do not guarantee it. Be sure to
back up any files involved and use at your own risk. Batteries not
included. Not for internal use. Don't run with knives.

 

[Tom Willett]

Dennis: For years, I was under the impression the data side was the bottom.
After reading your post, I did some Googling, and confirmed that you are
correct.

You learn something new everyday. Thanks!

Tom

 

[Vanguard]

Don't you mean sandpaper on the OPPOSITE side to the label?

Like many users, you think the recording side is on the bottom. Nope,
the recording side is on the top where is the foil. Damaging the *top*
of the CD end up destroying the foil on which the data is recorded.
That's why peeling off one of those self-stick printer CD labels can end
up also peeling off the foil and that means all your data is gone. You
can actually end up with just the clear plastic disc (that contains no
data at all). The side that you write on and put self-stick labels on
is the side that holds the data. That is why you also have to be
careful as to what you use to write on the label side, like don't use
ball-point pens.

 

[Curt Christianson]

Hi Tom,

You are correct in that the data *is* read from the bottom of the disk.
However, the layer with the "pits" and "lands" are actually closer to the
label side. That is the reason why minor scratches on the metal looking
side (silver) has much less effect than on the label side. For lack of a
better term (sometimes polycarbonate), the coating is much thicker on the
bottom side (non-label side) than on the top (the label side). That's why
the top layer is so vulnerable. This is a much more important consideration
when using CD-R's and CD-RW's, that don't even have a metal stamping
inside--they rely entirely on the laser "burning" a dye, that effectively
changes the reflectivity just as though it were stamped with pits and lands.
Audio CD's you purchase from your local music shop are much more forgiving
as far as top label disfigurement.

--
Curt BD-MVBT

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

 

[Stan Brown]

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:48:54 +0100 from Gordon

Don't you mean sandpaper on the OPPOSITE side to the label?

The data layer is nearer the label side.

I don't have a lot of faith in sandpaper or any scratching technique
since there's always the possibility of polishing the scratches away,
but I freely confess I don't know how practical that would be.

 

[darkroommike]

There are paper shredders rated to do the nasty to CD's as well, have
also seen a widget on the old Call for Help show that used abrasive
wheels to deface the CD (it's a high tech, VERY expensive government item).

You might also look at
http://www.roxio.com/en/support/discs/destroydiscs.html