Destroying a CD - microwave it?

Steve wrote:
According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
microwave them on high for five seconds."

Has anyone tried this? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?

http://news.com.com/Who+says+safe+co...3-5482340.html


actually you only need 2 seconds. its pretty ( like when you put foil in
the micro. same thing ).

It cracks the "silver" lining that you see, rendering it useless

Dr. Rastis Fafoofnik wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message
...

According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
microwave them on high for five seconds."

Has anyone tried this? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?



http://news.com.com/Who+says+safe+co...+dream/2010-10
71_3-5482340.html

Deeply scratching the TOP side will render them useless. As long as you see
shiny bits of foil coming up, it's done.




actually, we've been able to recover data from a deeply scratched cd.
the only way to destroy it is make sure the silver is so damaged, it
can't be read or
bend or break it.

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 14:15:51 -0800, Steve wrote:

"Clark W. Griswold, Jr." wrote:
I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

No - that's just a clear plastic disk. For CDROMs, the dye is immediately under
the top label.
DVDs sandwich the dye layer between two plastic discs, so they are a bit more
resistant to damage.

I'm sooo confused.

Since the recording takes place between the two layers, what purpose
do the bottom grooves serve?

There are no bottom grooves. It is smooth on both top and bottom.
The dye in between changes colors, but there are no grooves.

Steve ) writes:
According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
microwave them on high for five seconds."

Has anyone tried this? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?

http://news.com.com/Who+says+safe+co...3-5482340.html



Office supply stores advertise shredders which will chew up CDs. That has
to be safer than letting plastic fumes loose in your home.

Brendan
--

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 20:16:08 -0800, The Real Bev
wrote:

Michael Black wrote:

Steve ) writes:
"Dr. Rastis Fafoofnik" wrote:
Deeply scratching the TOP side will render them useless. As long as you see
shiny bits of foil coming up, it's done.

I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

The foil is closer to the surface on the label side. It's easier to
actually damage the foil by going at it from the label side.

Moreover, I read recently that adding those pretty labels that you went
to so much work to make actually damages the CD/DVD.


That's why my next printer is going to be a cheap ($89 at Sam's Club)
Epson that can print on CD and DVD media AND has individual ink tanks.

"Jimmy" wrote:
Since the recording takes place between the two layers, what purpose
do the bottom grooves serve?

What grooves are you talking about? DVD and CDR blanks are smooth on
the bottom external surface. On the top as well, for that matter.

Oops, you're right, I'd been seeing grooves when there weren't any
there. This is what happens when you get old. Sigh.

Are you sure you weren't trying to play those old 45s

Don't ask. Actually, it's relaxing listening to those 45s with my
coffee cup in the computer's thingie holder.

Stan Brown wrote:
Ok, thanks. I've been mostly snapping them in half if I wanna destroy
them...

This is my technique too, though I was surprised at how sturdy they
are.

Yeah, you really gotta bend those suckers - and be careful with those
little pieces that fly off at warp speed. I usually put it in the
middle of a magazine, then break it.

On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 04:58:59 GMT, Bob Ward wrote:

Since the recording takes place between the two layers, what purpose
do the bottom grooves serve?

There are no bottom grooves. It is smooth on both top and bottom.
The dye in between changes colors, but there are no grooves.

*Something* has to tell the head how to position itself, and its not a
preprogrammed absolute positioning gizmo. There are grooves in the
polycarbonate disk that are detected and used constantly to properly
position the head over the spiral track on a CD/DVD. But you're right,
the grooves aren't on the top or bottom, they're where the reflective
layer is. With a CD, that's pretty much the top.

--
N

Stan Brown wrote:
"Steve" wrote in misc.consumers:
Ok, thanks. I've been mostly snapping them in half if I wanna
destroy them...

This is my technique too, though I was surprised at how sturdy they
are.

Don't try it with DVD or you will be picking shards out of the carpet for
months. I tend to use a large pair of tailoring scissors and cut them in
half.

--

Graham Mayor

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 20:16:08 -0800, The Real Bev
wrote:

I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

The foil is closer to the surface on the label side. It's easier to
actually damage the foil by going at it from the label side.

*Way* closer. With CDs that don't have optional, additional (very
thin) layers, the foil is the thickness of a coating of lacquer below
the top. The laser goes through pretty much the entire thickness of the
CD to get to the recording layer.

Moreover, I read recently that adding those pretty labels that you went
to so much work to make actually damages the CD/DVD.

I don't think so with DVD. With CD, yes, it does happen, but my
understanding is that some labels are safe. Couldn't tell you which
ones, and I don't think the problem is completely understood, so labels
on CDs are "out" for anything you want to be long lasting. For me,
anyway.

--
N