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| Thread ID: 59241 | 2005-06-25 11:09:00 | How to erase some tapes? | Tony (4941) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 367034 | 2005-06-25 11:09:00 | I've got some old QIC-80 TR-1 Extra 500mb tapes that I used to use for backups. I'm thinking of putting them up on Trademe for a few dollars, but I need to erase them first. I don't have a working tape drive any more, so I can't do it that way. Any suggestions? I know a strong magnet will do it, but I don't have access to a strong magnet. I don't need a full security erase, just enough to make them unreadable by the casual user. If anyone is so desperate that they want to recover my 10-year old financial data, they're welcome. BTW if anyone here is interested in them, send me a PM and we may be able to make a deal. Six tapes, with no guarantees that they would be any good. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 367035 | 2005-06-25 13:19:00 | You will need a very strong AC field to achieve that result. I have a bulk eraser designed for audio tapes and the tape buzzes and vibrates like mad when it is operating, but still leaves some muffled audio even after several attempts. You need a field of about 25-50 Gauss (2.5 to 5 milliTesla) to achieve complete erasure and that is impractical to generate on a casual basis. If your data is that old, just let them have it. Tape is pretty much history now anyway. Hard drives have greater capacity, are more reliable and far faster, allow random access and are easily erased. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 367036 | 2005-06-25 21:38:00 | Tape is pretty much history now anyway. Hard drives have greater capacity, are more reliable and far faster, allow random access and are easily erased.I'm not really expecting to get any bids, but no sale - no pay means it is worth a try. Thanks for the advice. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 367037 | 2005-06-26 00:29:00 | It may not help (probably won't) but when my stepdaughter brings home R-rated vhs tapes, I just erase them in the microwave...heh heh heh! ;) | SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 367038 | 2005-06-26 00:38:00 | It may not help (probably won't) but when my stepdaughter brings home R-rated vhs tapes, I just erase them in the microwave...heh heh heh! ;)Nice idea, but I'm not sure what the metal baseplate of the tape enclosure would do to the microwave! | Tony (4941) | ||
| 367039 | 2005-06-26 07:02:00 | It may not help (probably won't) but when my stepdaughter brings home R-rated vhs tapes, I just erase them in the microwave...heh heh heh! ;) I've never tried it, but I doubt that a microwave oven would "erase" a video tape, however, it may possibly destroy it anyway. The microwave energy level that would heat the magnetic particles sufficiently to change their magnetic memory would probably destroy the substrate. Perhaps that is what SurferJoe means. :p I'd be interested in the outcome of any tests people might make, there are plenty of surplus VCR tapes out there now with the rise of DVDs. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 367040 | 2005-06-26 16:53:00 | OH! Did you say that you wanted to REUSE the tapes! My bad! I just destroy them in the microwave . . substrate be damned . . . . . . |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 367041 | 2005-06-26 21:33:00 | I just destroy them in the microwave..substrate be damned......I'm more concerned about the microwave than the tapes... | Tony (4941) | ||
| 367042 | 2005-06-26 21:40:00 | If one does not use a cook/ . cycle longer than, say . . . about 15 seconds, there has been no damage so far . Besides, when used later to heat or cook food, you get your minimum daily requirements of dietary Iron . |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
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