> m.roth at 5-cent.us wrote: >>> I wrote >>> >>> [...] >>> >>>> Alternatively, the answer on another techie mailing list I'm on is >>>> that >>>> you could disassemble the disks and use thermite. >>> Just a hammer, no need to disassemble the case. >>> >> I dunno, a buddy who was in army intel back in the early eighties told >> me, about 10 years ago, that they could flatten out the platters and read >> some data. Thermite not only melts the platters, but will hit the Curie >> point. >> >> mark "and make nice flames and melting metal" > > I belive modern discs are brittle, and will shatter, not bend. > Thermite would certainly do the trick. Might get you in trouble > with local hazard control laws, though. It might melt concrete, > so don't do it on your driveway. Bucket full o' sand - that's what they used the last day of my 11th grade chem class, lo, these many years ago. <g> mark