Hard drives are storage solutions that hold extensive data capacity, depending on the size. However, these storage devices are also immune to data loss due to various reasons, including virus attacks, non-updated OS, accidental deletion and many others. That’s why services of data recovery in Singapore and across various countries are great in pursuit. 

On the contrary, some organizations prefer upgrading their hard drives with new ones and disposing of old ones. Unfortunately, most business owners avoid degaussing their storage equipment like hard drives, unaware of its consequences. Even some people tend to think throwing and smashing hard drives is enough for disposing of them. However, this isn’t a suitable method as it’ll put your information at risk. 

If you’re thinking about disposing of your hard drives, there are some reliable and reasonable ways for securing your information. It includes demagnetization through degaussing or mechanical removal via shredding. Both solutions work well and provide better assistance to dispose of a defective device or when you don’t require access to data from a hard drive. 

Let’s discuss in detail what hard drive degaussing is and how it works!

What is Hard Drive Degaussing?

Where do deleted data go after deletion? The answers of most users are “Recycle Bin” or “Trash”. 

You might believe that you delete the data permanently from the hard drive. But, this isn’t true. The true fact is getting rid of information is quite harder than you think. They may disappear from your computer, laptop and other devices’ folders. In all sincerity, the file is still available in HDD. 

So, how could you dispose of such a hard drive?

The good news is that irreversibly deletion of data is possible, which is also known as degaussing. It’s a bizarre technique that enduringly eradicates data from devices, including hard disks, magnetic cassettes, floppy disks, or tapes. For completing the procedure, a hard drive degausser is used. It’s a standard piece of hardware like printers. This device controls the power of magnets to sanitize digital storage by effectively deleting the contents. The National Security Agency (NSA) recommends using such devices for the complete destruction of data.

What is Degaussing?

Degaussing is a foolproof file deletion method of securely and permanently destroying data from devices. This deletion process is also called sanitization. It eliminates the presence of magnetic fields to make the information unusable. This is an effective approach to prevent leakage of confidential information or digital threats. A number of tech corporations use degaussers devices to complete the data destruction procedure. 

Why Requires Hard Drive Degausser?

A degaussing hard drive isn’t only beneficial for getting data security but it also keeps the environment safe. How? Destroying hard drive data through such devices will also decrease the number of e-waste on the planet. Recycling is an inevitable process for not to be mistaken about HDDs being reused again. The degaussing method will never allow anyone to reuse the hard drive. 

Hence, keeping yourself aware of what is degaussing the hard drive will prevent data loss or threats. It ensures privacy and eliminates the number of e-wastes. Therefore, acquiring degaussing means a complete win-win situation. 

How Does Hard Drive Degaussing Work?

Hard drives and other magnetic storage gadgets hold the data as binary data bits, which are stored on very small magnets. The introduction of these parts should be in exact order, so they can effectively save and secure information. This is on the grounds that the capacity of HDDs to hold data depends on those specific order magnets. If the order is reversed, the information will consequently vanish from the magnets, and thus, from hard drives. 

After the consummation of this method, the information is consequently destroyed or deleted from the disks. Nonetheless, the accomplishment of this interaction relies upon the intensity and power of magnets.  That’s why ensure that the hard drive contains the magnets essentially 1.5 times stronger than the magnetic strength of the storage being destroyed. Well, having 2 to multiple times stronger is an optimal decision. The chances of information erasure become fruitful and super durable if the hard drive degausser’s magnets are more intense. Hence, the degaussing process will require a couple of moments if the device contains more powerful magnets.

What Can Degaussing Erase?

Degassing method only works on magnetic-based storage devices. This is so because the degausser is constructed in such a way that only operates through a strong magnetic field to completely remove any resemblance of previously recorded data. It removes the data from hard drives, floppy disks, magnetic tape and more. All these devices rely on magnets to hold their data, and degaussers harness their magnets to erase information.  

However, some storage devices like thumb drives, SD cards and more aren’t resistant to degaussing. The reason is that these devices don’t rely on magnets and won’t respond to the degausser. 

If you have any questions about degaussing or aren’t sure that your device will respond to degausser, it’s time to talk to a professional. A hard drive data recovery technician will also suggest the most suitable way to destroy data from your storage device. Evey storage device has a different structure and that’s why each one requires distinct sanitization methods.

Wrapping Up!

Degaussing is an important step to protect data from getting stolen or leaked. Once a hard drive or other storage device has been exposed to the degaussing process, it’s not possible to use a degaussed hard drive. 

In case, if you require any assistance regarding storage media devices, it’s time to schedule your meeting with reputable storage media data recovery companies. These organizations are equipped with professionals to help whether it’s about SD card data recovery or hard drive degausser. These experts will go the extra mile to offer quality services along with comprehensive customer support.