Just spit balling, but it might be possible to flatten the platters out to recover some of the data, maybe even enough to piece together what was on there. The proper method for destruction is to wipe the drives, then shred them.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The proper method for destruction is to wipe the drives, then shred them.

Yes for spinny drives.

For SSDs, when you delete something TRIM + physics ensures it's really really gone all the time

Please stop shredding SSDs that can go on to a 2nd life...

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Indeed. I was only speaking to HDDs considering OP's image meme.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

I figured, but I wanted to point it out because I'm so tired of seeing good SSDs get shredded or otherwise destroyed for "security".

Shredding was already a bit overkill for HDDs that were able to be properly wiped but at least there were some possible fringe cases. There's really no excuse for SSDs though

[–] Micromot@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Aren't the discs made from a material that shatters like glass?

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

That I'm not sure, I know the premise is that data is read and written magnetically, which would lead me to believe there is some kind of ferrous metal in there somewhere, but I couldn't tell you the actual composition of the platters.

[–] Micromot@lemmy.zip 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

A quick google search resulted that the actual platter is a non magnetic material like glass which is covered in a magnetic coating

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

Interesting, thanks for that. So perhaps folding the drives like that may indeed shatter the platters.

[–] clutchtwopointzero@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

In principle yes but I never managed to shatter or break a disc platter... But then I never had a sledgehammer

[–] EtherWhack@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

It depends.

With tearing apart drives over the years, 3.5" always used aluminum platters, while the 2.5" ones used glass. (With greater data density and higher speeds however, this may have changed)

[–] Merlin404@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

Correct, and it uses magnets to render the disks unreadable. One of those devices services https://at-rack.co.uk/ LTT using it https://youtu.be/4dR5lbF5-wo

[–] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 5 points 6 months ago

Yes.

Although disks are also legitimately shredded.

It makes the most awful sound.

[–] knorke3@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

Trust me, that data is very definitely not destroyed.

(See this talk for some entertaining data disposal techniques :)