Data Tape Backup DESTRUCTION!!!

sushiboy

Ok, just started a new job. They want me to find a way to destroy old tape backups. They dont want me to torch them because of potential toxic fumes. They dont want to send them to some place that ensures data removal because of budget. They dont want to use data removal/overwriting software because they dont trust it. They even go so far as shooting me down for just simply pulling out the tape and cutting it up because they would want it cut every few inches and that would take forever. So anyway, I need some sure fire ideas for destroying data backup tapes that wont cost anything, wont involve flames or hammers, wont involve sending them away, and wont involve data removal software of any sort.

Krunch XP

Fill a bathtub with Coke or Pepsi.
Chuck the tapes in there for a few days.


Hell, the same process can dissolve an entire human in a few weeks. Bones and all.

Basticle

sushiboy wrote:

Ok, just started a new job. They want me to find a way to destroy old tape backups. They dont want me to torch them because of potential toxic fumes. They dont want to send them to some place that ensures data removal because of budget. They dont want to use data removal/overwriting software because they dont trust it. They even go so far as shooting me down for just simply pulling out the tape and cutting it up because they would want it cut every few inches and that would take forever. So anyway, I need some sure fire ideas for destroying data backup tapes that wont cost anything, wont involve flames or hammers, wont involve sending them away, and wont involve data removal software of any sort.

dish washer?

Krunch XP

Magnets.

Atlus Parker

Are data tapes susceptible to damage from magnets?

DeadlySherpa

pencil attached into a drill to get the tape out, then throw it in a heavy duty paper shredder.

Mordrack

Atlus Parker wrote:

Are data tapes susceptible to damage from magnets?

They are indeed magnetic media.

Masa

How many are we talking here?

Packing them in a shoe box with some magnets for a few days might work.

Or maybe leaving them over night in a cement bucket filled with some destructive fluids. (Diet Pepsi, or a detergent, or even just salty water.)

Or leave them out in the sun, UV rays can wipe clear the data if they are in the proper situation.

hambone

Krunch XP wrote:

Hell, the same process can dissolve an entire human in a few weeks. Bones and all.

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

I vote liquid nitrogen + hammer.

Or ranch dressing + hungry fat guy.

Houk the Namebringer

Mordrack wrote:

Atlus Parker wrote:

Are data tapes susceptible to damage from magnets?

They are indeed magnetic media.

Judging by how they "don't trust" removal software, I'm guessing they're wanting some sort of physical destruction. Bleach-filled water would be my route, but I'm guessing the fumes would kill just about everyone. Plus it probably wouldn't actually work.

apotheos

The only other option is a specialized industrial shredder. The start at about $10,000. You could just buy a degaussing machine but that is what data erasing services use so whats the point in avoiding it if you just go there?

stigweard

Krunch XP wrote:

Fill a bathtub with Coke or Pepsi.
Chuck the tapes in there for a few days.


Hell, the same process can dissolve an entire human in a few weeks. Bones and all.

Horse shit. Crusty, moldy horse shit. Not that it wouldn't make the tape stick together and make it virtually unusable, but the rest is horse shit.

Not that I endorse this particular product, it sounds like theplace you are working and afford a light duty shredder. You can get models specifically for cheweing up dats.

GertBeef

Make a fake file that is the size of the data tape and write that file onto the tape 3 times.... That's my not so billiant idea! ^_^

core tactic

Stop.


Hammer time!



Yeah, that could work.


EDIT: Nevermind, saw the no hammers part.

DeadlySherpa

Oh and you could always try giving them to my dog to play with

everything i give her is obliterated completely in a few hours

Mordrack

Houk wrote:

Mordrack wrote:

Atlus Parker wrote:

Are data tapes susceptible to damage from magnets?

They are indeed magnetic media.

Judging by how they "don't trust" removal software, I'm guessing they're wanting some sort of physical destruction. Bleach-filled water would be my route, but I'm guessing the fumes would kill just about everyone. Plus it probably wouldn't actually work.

Copper wire wrapped around a magnet and attached to a nine volt battery rubbed over the tape for a while will destroy the data and still allow the media to be used.

zhen_rogue

hambone wrote:

ranch dressing + hungry fat guy.

A flawless plan, devilish in it's simplicity.

Robo Beat

apotheos wrote:

The only other option is a specialized industrial shredder. The start at about $10,000. You could just buy a degaussing machine but that is what data erasing services use so whats the point in avoiding it if you just go there?

The shredder might be your best option, if they want physical destruction of the media. Depending on your budget, you might be able to rent one.

Houk the Namebringer

what about, instead of cutting it piece by piece, you just run a box cutter lengthwise down the center of the whole thing?

schmads

Yeah, I'm thinking using a cordless screwdriver/drill to unwind the tapes quickly + reasonably good paper shredder that can deal with things other than pure paper = done. Reasonably cheap, pretty thorough. Bonus = if you have enough, you can fill someone's cube with data tape confetti.

core tactic

Why not just get like a 50 dollar paper shredder and feed the tape through?

Krunch XP

stigweard wrote:

Krunch XP wrote:

Fill a bathtub with Coke or Pepsi.
Chuck the tapes in there for a few days.


Hell, the same process can dissolve an entire human in a few weeks. Bones and all.

Horse shit. Crusty, moldy horse shit. Not that it wouldn't make the tape stick together and make it virtually unusable, but the rest is horse shit.

Prove me wrong. For science.

DeadlySherpa

Robo Beat wrote:

apotheos wrote:

The only other option is a specialized industrial shredder. The start at about $10,000. You could just buy a degaussing machine but that is what data erasing services use so whats the point in avoiding it if you just go there?

The shredder might be your best option, if they want physical destruction of the media. Depending on your budget, you might be able to rent one.

or a wood chipper :twisted:

Krunch XP

core tactic wrote:

Why not just get like a 50 dollar paper shredder and feed the tape through?

It would work, but paper shredder shred slowly. Tapes go one for miles.

Mordrack

DeadlySherpa wrote:

Robo Beat wrote:

apotheos wrote:

The only other option is a specialized industrial shredder. The start at about $10,000. You could just buy a degaussing machine but that is what data erasing services use so whats the point in avoiding it if you just go there?

The shredder might be your best option, if they want physical destruction of the media. Depending on your budget, you might be able to rent one.

or a wood chipper :twisted:

Throwing 'em in a fire would work too.

Houk the Namebringer

Mordrack wrote:

DeadlySherpa wrote:

Robo Beat wrote:

apotheos wrote:

The only other option is a specialized industrial shredder. The start at about $10,000. You could just buy a degaussing machine but that is what data erasing services use so whats the point in avoiding it if you just go there?

The shredder might be your best option, if they want physical destruction of the media. Depending on your budget, you might be able to rent one.

or a wood chipper :twisted:

Throwing 'em in a fire would work too.

which he said he couldnt do cuz theyre worried about 'toxic fumes'. Which doesn't make sense, since the fire would have to be outside anyway, and you can just, like, step back a couple feet.

core tactic

Lawnmower?


How about a blender? Tape and plastic should go through really easily.

UndefinedMonkey

I like the idea of feeding the tape into a shredder, or chucking the whole thing into a wood chipper.

hambone

Krunch XP wrote:

Prove me wrong. For science.

I already did, if you'd bother to click the snopes link I posted above, genius.

DeadlySherpa

Mordrack wrote:

DeadlySherpa wrote:

Robo Beat wrote:

apotheos wrote:

The only other option is a specialized industrial shredder. The start at about $10,000. You could just buy a degaussing machine but that is what data erasing services use so whats the point in avoiding it if you just go there?

The shredder might be your best option, if they want physical destruction of the media. Depending on your budget, you might be able to rent one.

or a wood chipper :twisted:

Throwing 'em in a fire would work too.

toxic fumes, remember?

oooh

Will it blend? That is the question

Robo Beat

core tactic wrote:

Lawnmower?


How about a blender? Tape and plastic should go through really easily.

Data tapes. Will it blend?

EDIT: Darn, beat'd

Krunch XP

hambone wrote:

Krunch XP wrote:

Prove me wrong. For science.

I already did, if you'd bother to click the snopes link I posted above, genius.

I did. They state nothing about putting anything in the solution for weeks, moron.

Atlus Parker

Krunch XP wrote:

hambone wrote:

Krunch XP wrote:

Prove me wrong. For science.

I already did, if you'd bother to click the snopes link I posted above, genius.

I did. They state nothing about putting anything in the solution for weeks, moron.

Did they need to? If it won't dissolve a tooth or a t-bone it's not going to dissolve a human being.

core tactic

For all intents and purposes, I say blender is the frontrunner.

Krunch XP

Atlus Parker wrote:

Krunch XP wrote:

hambone wrote:

Krunch XP wrote:

Prove me wrong. For science.

I already did, if you'd bother to click the snopes link I posted above, genius.

I did. They state nothing about putting anything in the solution for weeks, moron.

Did they need to? If it won't dissolve a tooth or a t-bone it's not going to dissolve a human being.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

!= An entire human body in a few weeks.


Granted, I was killing about the human body in a few weeks, but I can gladly hold the argument that two days for a t-bone does not equal a few weeks for a body. Time is a factor.

Deusfaux

krunch

spouting off bullshit urban legends in the days of the internet is so fucking pathetic it hurts

just stop now

HalberdBlue

Krunch, the article was saying that a T-Bone dissolving in two days was a myth.

Recoil42

Line them up in front of your car. Accelerate. Job done.

WicketW.Warrick

Actually the article does state that the T-bone would dissolve slowly, just not overnight. It also states that it would be better to use fruit juice or something rather than Coke.

Dusda

When I worked for a small computer shop in Oregon, we had a government job that required us to dispose of a bunch of hard drives. One of the consultants took them out to a shooting range. They came back holy.

I would still have the pictures if Verizon had thought to back them up while replacing my phone a couple months ago. Fuckers.

Houk the Namebringer

core tactic wrote:

For all intensive purposes, I say blender is the frontrunner.

i hate being the grammar nazi, but...

It's 'for all intents and purposes'. Not intensive.