How to clear corrupted hard drive?

[Skip19]

Component test failed on long drive. I cannot afford to pay for any services. How do I clean a corrupted hard drive? 

[itsmyname]

@Skip19 -- Component test failed on long drive

The diagnostic reported that your disk-drive is failing.

To compare, try writing on the paper-wrapper that was wrapped around a cube of butter -- you just cannot do it.

Your only remedy is to replace the disk-drive.

It may be possible that the disk-drive has some residual "life" -- just enough to let you connect it to a different computer, as a "secondary" disk-drive, to copy all your Personal Files to an external backup device.

Or, do you mean how to "wipe" the disk-drive,  to prevent anybody else from reading any of the files, before you send the disk-drive to an end-of-life electronics recycling centre?  In that case, a sledgehammer is the proper tool to "destroy" its recording surfaces, to make them unreadable.

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@itsmyname 

I like the "sledgehammer" comment particularly -- as that is EXACTLY what I do with failing drives!

[itsmyname]

@WAWood -- I should mention that the sledgehammer is to be accompanied by a pair of safety-glasses.

But, I prefer disassembling the disk-drive, to extract the magnets -- useful for keeping a set of screws together while removing those irritatingly-small screws found when disassembling a notebook computer.

The recording-surfaces get hung on my fruit-frees, to "flash" a reflection of the sun, to try to scare away the birds that want to "dine" on the fruit.

[WAWood]

@itsmyname 

Hey, I hear you about the little parts -- as I use a magnetic cup for the same function.