How To Wipe A Hard Drive On A Dead Computer

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Abdul Hadi

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Many people are often worried about how to wipe a hard drive on a dead computer. Even if your system fails to respond or is not working at all, there are some ways through which you can erase the existing data.

Key Takeaways

• A dead PC does not mean your data is gone; it is in your hard disk Drive.
• Hard disk can be removed, plugged into another PC, and then formatted.
• You can also physically destroy it in extreme security cases if the software fails.

Wiping A Hard Drive On A Dead Computer

There are two basic ways to erase a hard drive on a dead computer, such as

1. Removing The Hard Disk And Plugging It In Another PC.
2. Physically Destroy The Disk.

Removing The Hard Disk And Plugging It In Another PC

Plenty of software are available on the internet to safely format a hard drive if your computer is running, though we used DBAN. We unplugged the hard disk from the dead PC and plugged it into a running PC to carry out the formatting process using the software. 

Here are the steps to the process we followed:

1. Make sure the computer is powered off. Then, unplug all the cables and place the computer on a raised platform.
2. Unscrew/Remove the side panel of your computer tower to get access to your Hard Drives.
3. Unmount your desired hard disk and disconnect its power and data cables. Be careful when looking for the correct hard disk; do not confuse it with another if there is more than one.
4. After disconnecting the cables, safely remove the hard disk from the tower.

After removing the hard disk from your computer, plug it into another computer to run software formatting. After the connection process, any formatting software can be run to erase the data from the hard drive permanently and securely. 

Also Check: How Many Hard Drives Can A PC Have?

Physically Destroy The Hard Disk

Destroying the hard drive is the most reliable or durable way to wipe data off. However, you should only proceed with this when you are sure there is no important data on the disk that you might need later.

Follow these steps to destroy a Hard Disk safely:

1. Make sure the computer is powered off. Remove the side panel of the computer tower to reveal the hard drive. Disconnect the power and data cable from the hard drive.
2. Remove the hard drive from the computer.
3. After safely removing the hard drive, place it on a hard surface. For safety reasons, use plastic shields, goggles, and safety gloves. 
4. You may destroy the hard drive by using a drill machine or a heavy iron hammer. Do not stop until all the pieces inside the hard disk are not jingling.
5. Just to be sure that data can not be recovered by any chance, destroy the drive’s PCB and data connectors as well.

Also Read: Unable To Recover Your PC, System Drive Too Small

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Abdul Hadi

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com