Destroying Backup Tapes

AtomBomb

So my company just got a new server, and it comes with a new bad-ass tape drive backup system, which is an entirely different form factor from the old one. We were leasing our old system, so before we had to send it back I copied anything we might need from the old tapes to the new tapes. We're going to have to send the old server back soon and I've got 50 or so tapes that I need to destroy (since I won't be able to read them once we send back the old server even if I wanted to). They're SLR60's, so they're kind of big and half of the case is metal. They look like this:



I thought about pulling the tape spools and microwaving them, but I don't want to have my microwave smell like melted tapes, and it would take a long time to pull them all apart. Any good ideas? I would wipe and donate them, but they have financial information on them that I need to make entirely unrecoverable. Anyone dealt with something like this?

On an unrelated note: One of the sites I frequent sent me this little password manager program. I didn't think I'd use it, but lately I've found it to be quite useful. Since I was using it I decided to start dumping data into it only to discover it was a trial version and I'd maxed it out. I don't want to pay $20 for what is essentially just a tiny database. I could use Excel, but I liked that I could put in different types of things (credit card info, website logins, other people's passwords that they gave me) and label the fields differently for each one. Anyone got a free password manager that they like?

amateurhour

Just pull the tape spools, sandwhich them between some card stock, and send then down the shredder.

AtomBomb

Just tried that. The tape is wound super tight on the spools. Even after prying one side off with a screwdriver it still won't come off. I could unwind it, but these things are loooooong. I guess if that ends up being the best way though...

enderwiggin13

Google "degaussing tapes". You can buy machines to do this (not sure if a giant neodymium magnet would work the same) but since this sounds like a one time thing, you may want to look into companies that do this for a living. You send your tapes and they wipe/return or wipe/destroy.

deke55555

I'd get a jug of acidic liquid and dump them in it for a good, long soak. Once the magnetic tape has melted it should be all taken care of.


Of course, the standard solution is a nice long soak in a strong magnetic field. Anyone you know have a good degausser? (Be careful that it's strong enough to actually wipe the tape)

amateurhour

enderwiggin13 wrote: »

Google "degaussing tapes". You can buy machines to do this (not sure if a giant neodymium magnet would work the same) but since this sounds like a one time thing, you may want to look into companies that do this for a living. You send your tapes and they wipe/return or wipe/destroy.

What kind of company is this? Does this need to be done professionally, or can it be done kind of "off the hip"? If it's a serious issue, and those tapes have credit card info or something, you need to invest in a deguass machine to erase them. It's cheap enough, especially if you just bought new equipment that also uses tape drives.

If they trust you to destroy the stuff, and will leave it with you, just take them out on your driveway this weekend and break out the hammer and have a little fun. (I seriously doubt this is an option, if you can't get the spools off, then buy a deguass machine)

Thomamelas

Do you have a degaussing machine? That is the very least you should do. With the tapes themselves you can try to physically destroy them yourself, get a degaussing machine with a destroy option built in (usually a hole punch that punches through the tape) or you can go to companies like Media Recovery and have them do it.

Cycophant

amateurhour wrote: »

enderwiggin13 wrote: »

Google "degaussing tapes". You can buy machines to do this (not sure if a giant neodymium magnet would work the same) but since this sounds like a one time thing, you may want to look into companies that do this for a living. You send your tapes and they wipe/return or wipe/destroy.

What kind of company is this? Does this need to be done professionally, or can it be done kind of "off the hip"? If it's a serious issue, and those tapes have credit card info or something, you need to invest in a deguass machine to erase them. It's cheap enough, especially if you just bought new equipment that also uses tape drives.

If they trust you to destroy the stuff, and will leave it with you, just take them out on your driveway this weekend and break out the hammer and have a little fun. (I seriously doubt this is an option, if you can't get the spools off, then buy a deguass machine)

Exactly. The method required depends wholly on the circumstance. If this is something that has to be done legally and professionally (which basically if it holds any private information at all, it probably has to), you'll need to buy a degaussing machine or hire a company to take care of it.

But if it's just useless data of little consequence, go crazy. Buy some muriatic acid or something, go purchase some fireworks, go try out the new rifle your friend purchased - have fun. Just...don't be stupid and do it unsafely, and don't do something illegal.

The Black Hunter

Take them home

Build bonfire

Light said bonfire

The answer will soon become clear

Blake T

I recomend fire, and lots of it.

Seriously, unless you have real issues of what you will put into the air no one is going to read it then

Pheezer

Using fire is almost guaranteed to be completely illegal and opens his company up to environmental liabilities. Acid is a particularly stupid idea as well, for about a hundred reasons revolving around legality, feasibility and pragmatism.

Hire a company to degauss them. Then at least someone can be sued if they fail to do so properly.

Dark Moon

DrDizaster wrote: »

Using fire is almost guaranteed to be completely illegal and opens his company up to environmental liabilities. Acid is a particularly stupid idea as well, for about a hundred reasons revolving around legality, feasibility and pragmatism.

Hire a company to degauss them. Then at least someone can be sued if they fail to do so properly.

Seriously. Burning half plastic tapes that contain a plastic-based magnetic tape? Throwing random acid x onto plastic of unknown composition? How are you all still alive?

AtomBomb: Be careful with password managers like that, particularly free ones that offer "Handy credit card # field!" That sounds like a wonderful way to get reams of fraudulent charges placed on your card for you. Never, ever, ever store your credit card info on your computer if you can at all help it (you can). Passwords should ideally be kept off as well, but for inconsequential ones consider using Firefox's built in password recall or, if in OS X, the keychain.

tsmvengy

You could also try an industrial shredding company - one of those places with a shredder truck that's basically a woodchipper. Seems to me this is the best way to get rid of them. Burning them or melting them in acid sounds like an environmental nightmare.

embrik

You could try Password Gorilla. It's supposed to be a good one, which utilizes encryption.

AtomBomb

Thanks guys. I've got them locked in a filing cabinet while I research degaussers and whatnot. The shredder thing sounds like a good idea too. I think my company might hire one of those now and then, I'm going to inquire about it.

I'll check out Password Gorilla too. Thanks for the tip.

redstormpopcorn

My dad had to get rid of some drives containing classified information for work recently. He said he took 'em to an incinerator somewhere around here, I'll see if I can get the name from him tomorrow.