[davjoma]

I've an unreliable Western Digital MyBookWorld network hard drive and before binning it I want to ensure all data is securely deleted. It can't be connected directly to a computer as an external drive. I can't find an app that can shred the files and free space on this network drive from my computer. I've got a home network and am using Windows 7 on one computer and Windows XP on 2 others. I've tried several free and trial downloads but they only work on local drives. Any ideas? I guess a hammer may be the quickest answer!

[Jonesr18]

If you have no further use for the drive I would not waste time trying the software deletion route but go physical. You will spend less time doing that for a more secure result than in searching and installing possible solutions that only do part of the job.
Will you just smash the drive and re-install another into the case or bin the lot?
If binning the lot I would go the secure hammer route with the drive removed and applied directly to the drive.
Ideally the remains should be properly recycled under the WEE regs.

[davjoma]

Thanks for the speedy reply! Yes, I think you're right and anyway, I can take out my frustrations on it for being unreliable! Now where's that hammer?

[RonOBrien]

Yes there is nothing like swinging a sledgehammer at a hard drive! - and that is what you'll need a manky little 2lb lump hammer will do very little damage. I would also be inclinded to remove the screws (probably Torx screws) and physically scratch the disks - you'll be amazed just how tough these little blighters are!

Alternatively you could adopt the Government method of secure disposal - leave it on the tube!

[davjoma]

Ron, thanks for the advice! I'm not going on the tube for a while so I wouldn't be compliant to the government standard if I left it elsewhere so lump hammer it must be. Given your experience here, I'll attack it with my 15lb maul or I might try my pick axe. I will unbundle the disk as best I can beforehand to ensure best destruction!

[nicholasstorm]

Hi,

I have used Killdisk many times. It's a freeware and also used as licensed version by some enterprises. Easy to use and very effective.

Not spam: http://www.killdisk.com/?gclid=CKTuiqv7 ... 6wodjElFRg

Cheers, Nich

[davjoma]

Nicholas, thanks for the suggestion which I've tried but as with all these utilities it only copes with local disks. Not sure why that should be but it seems that network drives are in some way a special beast!

[Burn_IT]

There's nothing special about the drives used as network drives. The only difference could be the file format which could be FAT,NTFS or NFS