Hard Drive Destruction
Shredding by Serial Number
Wiping a hard drive is not enough, because data often remains recoverable. We shred your hard drives physically, registered by serial number and to DIN 66399 H-5. You receive a certificate with every serial number on it.
Also SSDs, USB sticks and backup tapes. The drives can be included in the same collection as your paper or archive.
20% off all collection rates. See the pilot deal →
Why Shred a Hard Drive Instead of Wiping It?
Wiping or formatting a hard drive often leaves behind data that can be recovered with free recovery software. On a faulty drive, wiping sometimes does not work at all, while the data is still on it. Physical destruction is the only approach where recovery is guaranteed to be impossible.
When you shred hard drives, the drive is reduced to particles, so the magnetic platters are no longer readable. That is demonstrably safer than software wiping and it also works on broken drives. Read more about the standard and the burden of proof in the data destruction certificate explained and DIN 66399 explained.
From Collection to Certificate by Serial Number
Tell us about your drives
Let us know how many hard drives, SSDs or tapes are involved. We quote a fixed price in advance and schedule the collection.
Collect and register
We collect the drives and register each one by serial number, so the chain of custody is watertight.
Sealed transport
The drives go sealed and without interim storage to destruction. No one can access them along the way.
Shredding and certificate
Shredded to DIN 66399 H-5. You receive a Certificate of Destruction with all serial numbers on it.
Hard Drive, SSD or Tape
Not every data medium calls for the same approach. A magnetic hard drive works differently from an SSD full of memory chips. We choose the right DIN 66399 level for each medium.
| Data medium | DIN level | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Hard drive (HDD) | H-5 | Shredded to small particles |
| SSD and USB stick | E-level | Finely ground, chips unreadable |
| Backup tape (LTO) | H-level | Physically shredded |
Also clearing backup tapes or USB sticks? Read clearing backup tapes and LTO and disposing of USB sticks and memory cards. A complete overview of data media is on data destruction.
Certificate with Serial Number as Proof
With a hard drive it is all about proof. From collection to shredding, every drive stays registered by serial number, so at an audit or data breach you can demonstrate that the data really was destroyed.
- Registration by serial number. Every drive is recorded at collection.
- Sealed transport. No interim storage, no transfers.
- Shredding to H-5. The magnetic platters are made unreadable.
- Certificate with serial numbers. Date, order number and all serial numbers on it.
Not sure which data media really need to go? Read 7 data media you cannot just throw away.
Have a Hard Drive Destroyed in Amsterdam and Surroundings
We are a local destruction company in Amsterdam. Our service area is the city and everything within 20 km, with no call-out fee inside that radius. We collect your hard drives, shred them to H-5 and email you the certificate with the serial numbers.
Among other places, we collect and destroy hard drives in Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Diemen, Hoofddorp, Haarlem and Zaandam. Beyond the 20 km we come by appointment, see the full service area →
Frequently Asked Questions about Hard Drive Destruction
What is the difference between wiping and shredding a hard drive?
Wiping or formatting often leaves behind data that can be recovered with recovery software. On a faulty drive, wiping sometimes does not work at all. Shredding a hard drive physically reduces the drive to particles, so the magnetic platters are no longer readable and recovery is impossible.
To what level do you destroy a hard drive?
We destroy magnetic hard drives to DIN 66399 H-5. SSDs and USB sticks go to a finer E-level, because the data sits on small memory chips. That way the chosen approach always matches the medium.
Do I get a certificate with the serial number?
Yes. Every drive is registered by serial number and after destruction that serial number appears on the Certificate of Destruction, with date and order number. This lets you demonstrate at an audit or data breach that the data really was destroyed.
What does destroying a hard drive cost?
Hard drives are priced per unit, depending on the quantity. Let us know how many drives are involved and we will quote a fixed price in advance. The drives can be included free of charge in an existing collection of paper or archive.
Do you collect the hard drives?
Yes. We collect the drives, register them by serial number and transport them sealed to destruction. Within 20 km of Amsterdam we charge no call-out fee.
Plan Your Hard Drive Destruction Now
Book online right away or call us for a fixed price within 5 minutes.