Modern day problem : disposing of computer media.
 

Right, so having the January Spring Clean and after having chucked the usual hundreds of freebie magazine or mailshot CDs in the bin I find I'm left with an increasing number of my own CD-Rs containing old data.

Old data including financial spreadsheets, etc., from years gone by which one would consider confidential. Given I've recently added a DVD-RW to my system there are now whole swathes of old CD-Rs becoming redundant with each new backup.

What to do with them? Chopping them all up would take ages and probably result in lacerated hands.

Any ideas? What does one do with a sackful of CDs?

Oh, there's a hundred-odd 3.5" disks in the cupboard too!

Cheers, SSS

There are CD shredders available - but at a price. Just do a search .....

I'm reliably informed that all you have to do is scratch the non-data side of the cd and it's goosed. That's apparently because the metalic layer that holds the data is incredibly close to the "write-on" side of the disk.

If you just want to make sure no one can recover the data, I reckon that just folding it is as good a way as any.

Unless you're a mega criminal or have WMD data on the disks, I can't see anyone wanting to take the time to try and recover data after that simple step. :ok:

As for the floppies, have a word with your local friendly Control Tower Engineer and they should be able to "bulk erase" them using the gizmo that's meant for tapes.

ST

Just leave them on your car dash on a hot day. They will warp and bend so much that only the NSA will be able to get anything off of them.

Or just break them like Soft Top suggested.

goates

I've not tried it myself, but I've been told that a couple of seconds in a microwave oven will totally bugger them, and as long as the disc isn't touching the sides, won't harm the oven.

If you do decide to break them, be very careful when doing it. Some of the cheaper discs are very brittle, and when they shatter, very sharp shards of plastic fly off.

419

Leave them in the garage until November 5th, and find a nice bonfire to throw them on.

An expert tells me that a while in bright sunshine will do in a CD-R (or is that CD-RW? I think the answer is both.) Probably best done out-of-doors to avoid attenuation of non-visible wavelengths by windows.

Just use a pair of scissors to cut a chunk out of the CD.
No shattering with this method

Ta for the replies, will sit down for an evening's plastic mutilation some time with some pliers and a stanley knife. Have a feeling the missus wouldn't appreciate me wrecking her kitchen scissors on CD-R destruction.

Cheers, SSS

You could just keep them and use them as coasters. After having a few cups scratch them and some drinks spilled, they won't be much good to anyone.

goates

Edited for speeeling

And you could always lick the beer off them afterwards :p

Maybe this would be of help?

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000403028960/

goates