"Only sure-fire way is to toss it in one of those big grinders data destruction companies like Iron Mountain have. They even let you watch it go in." This is w

"Only sure-fire way is to toss it in one of those big grinders data destruction companies like Iron Mountain have. They even let you watch it go in." This is what rsync.net does with drives that need to stop existing. I do, indeed, watch it go in and I strongly recommend a canister respirator when entering a shredding/destruction facility. I cannot believe the operators of these devices - which are pulverizing glass and circuitry, among other things - don't wear lung protection as they stand over the machine-turning-drive-into-dust. To my sibling who wondered about sleight of hand: I can only speak for the machine I take drives to but it is an immediate and brutal reaction with sparks flying and pieces flying up ... and sometimes the machine jams and they back it out and re-feed it ... there is no question as to what is occurring to that specific drive.