How to Destroy DVD's??

[D1gger]

I backup my families PC's onto DVD's every month or so, and keep two versions of the backups for emergencies. In the past I have disposed of the more than two month old backups by breaking the DVD's, but that is not easy or without some danger of flying pieces of disc.

I don't want to spend money on a shredder, so I was curious if just using an exacto knife to score the r/w surface of the DVD would render them consistently unreadable.

Any other suggestions on destroying DVD's would be appreciated.

 

[Pelu]

you can....

1.. burn it..

2.. stomp it with your the wheels of your car...

3.. just toss them compleatly...

4.. give it to your dog as a dog toy...

5.. cover it with a towel... and break it in the half...

 

[AmberClad]

Microwave oven? You'll get a nice lightshow as a bonus.

 

[yinan]

Set em on fire? Lighters are cheap.

 

[Slick5150]

Microwave for 7-8 seconds. It smells bad afterwards, but it'll get the job done.

 

[DaveSimmons]

There are motorized spinners with blades or spikes to scratch a disc to unplayability, check cyberguys.com

 

[RickyRay]

Just wondering but wouldn't it be easier to back it up to an external hard drive or maybe use rewritable DVD's? That way you won't have to worry about disposing those DVD's and making sure the data is not readable anymore.

 

[jaqie]

Originally posted by: D1gger
I don't want to spend money on a shredder, so I was curious if just using an exacto knife to score the r/w surface of the DVD would render them consistently unreadable.

Um... the LABEL side is the side with the storage medium. the side that goes down is the clear plastic side, data is stored just under the label on the label side.

If you want to destroy that data, it is honestly best to get the cheapest microwave oven you can buy and put the disc in it for about 5 seconds. Why a second microwave just for this? Over time it can ruin the mag in the microwave, and it makes the microwave smell bad from the discs. With microwaves getting down to $30ish on sale for a little cheapo, this is honestly a great option nowadays.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Originally posted by: D1gger
I don't want to spend money on a shredder, so I was curious if just using an exacto knife to score the r/w surface of the DVD would render them consistently unreadable.

Any other suggestions on destroying DVD's would be appreciated.

IIRC, the data is actually stored on the underside of the label side of the disc, so be sure to score the label side if you want to destroy the actual data, rather than the "lense" to the data.

EDIT: Damn, jaqie beat me to it!

 

[jaqie]

 

[vailr]

I use this:
Aleratec DVD/CD Shredder 240114
http://www.wolfcamera.com/product/EP5140111.htm
It doesn't actually shred the disc. It only renders the disc unreadable.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: Slick5150
Microwave for 7-8 seconds. It smells bad afterwards, but it'll get the job done.

>> A microwave will do the job <<

 

[RebateMonger]

I'd stick with the shredder.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
I'd stick with the shredder.

Originally posted by: D1gger

I don't want to spend money on a shredder,

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: D1gger
I don't want to spend money on a shredder,

$33 is cheap compared to cutting a finger open or burns or a fire in a newly-purchased microwave that isn't going to like melting a lot of DVDs.

 

[0roo0roo]

scissors...wire cutters..hammer, it doesn't matter.
the level of work it would take to recover data from a broken disk is something that i doubt you'll have to worry about. are you working on cold fusion or something nuts? lol

 

[BladeVenom]

Originally posted by: jaqie

Originally posted by: D1gger
I don't want to spend money on a shredder, so I was curious if just using an exacto knife to score the r/w surface of the DVD would render them consistently unreadable.

Um... the LABEL side is the side with the storage medium. the side that goes down is the clear plastic side, data is stored just under the label on the label side.

On a CD all you have to do is scratch the label side and it will damage the metal data layer since it is just a thin clear coat on top protecting it.

With a DVD the storage layer is between 2 solid pieces of plastic, and it takes a really deep scratch to actually damage. It might be easier to split it open than make a scratch that deep.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: D1gger
I don't want to spend money on a shredder,

$33 is cheap compared to cutting a finger open or burns or a fire in a newly-purchased microwave that isn't going to like melting a lot of DVDs.

While spending $33 may reduce the risk of personal injury, it doesn't adhere to the parameters set forth by OP.
1. Destroy DVDs.
2. Spend no money on a shredder.

* The OP could always set a cup of water in the microwave along with the DVDs, in order to absorb excess energy.
* The DVDs need not be "zapped" to the melting point, only a few seconds would be required to render the disks "consistently unreadable".

 

[Roguestar]

$33?

Guys, fire is free. And, as we all know, it is fun to play with.

 

[Immunoboy]

Unless you are trying to screw up your lungs, use a separate microwave that is never to be used again for food. Also, do it in a well ventilated area and don't breathe the fumes.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: D1gger
I don't want to spend money on a shredder,

$33 is cheap compared to cutting a finger open or burns or a fire in a newly-purchased microwave that isn't going to like melting a lot of DVDs.

While spending $33 may reduce the risk of personal injury, it doesn't adhere to the parameters set forth by OP.
1. Destroy DVDs.
2. Spend no money on a shredder.

* The OP could always set a cup of water in the microwave along with the DVDs, in order to absorb excess energy.
* The DVDs need not be "zapped" to the melting point, only a few seconds would be required to render the disks "consistently unreadable".

30 bucks buys you a nice big sledge hammer
multi use tool ftw!
more fun...much more fun.

 

[Synomenon]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
$33?

Guys, fire is free. And, as we all know, it is fun to play with.

^

 

[jdkick]

I'd skip the microwave and fire. Just do as much physical damage to both sides of the disc as you can...

That said, I would suggest that you reconsider your position on a shredder. I picked up one of these recently for ~$40 on sale:

http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Cata...=649935&affixedcode=WW

It shreds discs in seconds and appears to be quite durable, and efficient. In my cases, that was worth the $$$... tho YMMV. You can also use it to shred other things as well.

 

[lxskllr]

Sheesh, I didn't know this was that difficult :^P Surely you own some tools that could safely and easily ruin a DVD...Pliers, end nippers, hammer/nail, drill...

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

microwave, a shredder that dimples the surface, or stack them back in a cakebox and run a nearly red-hot nail through them and push/pull to warp and destroy radially outwards

don't just snap them into pieces, and don't just mar them