Parts From Degaussed Hard Drives

[Rich Peacock]

When a hard drive is degaussed is there any impact on the circuit board or head assembly?

We have approximately 15,000 computers in our enterprise and many of them contain identical hard drives due to being purchased in lots.  When the computers are recycled we do not wipe the hard drives and return them for use.  Instead they are run through a degaussing machine and sent to another agency for disposal.

I was asked by the higher ups if we could save in the purchase of donor parts if we used the circuit board and head assembly.  Any thoughts?????

Rich Peacock
EnCE, CFCE, CEECS
Baltimore County Police Department
Detective - Vice / Narcotics Section (Retired)
Digital Analyst
DHS - Focused Operations Unit

[Frank]

Rich
If possible, I would pull the parts out that you think you will need.
Then label them properly. When degaussing them, I would take it one
would want to destroy the data on the platters. So once you pull the
parts that you need, run them through the degausser.

Frank

[Adrian]

Keep one that has NOT been through the degausser and put the parts of
one that has been through on this drive. if it works then you have
your answer :)

I believe the PCB will be ok but I'm not sure about the heads, they
are a little more sensitive.

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