| How to Destroy a Hard Drive Posted: 16 Sep 2019 05:00 PM PDT Do you have an inaccessible or otherwise worthless hard drive filled with sensitive data? Do you want to be sure that data never sees the light of day? Once you've wiped your hard drive, consider one of these options to further protect your data. This wikiHow shows you how to wipe data from your hard drive and destroy it to prevent any salvaging of data from it. [Edit]Wiping the Data - Back up your data. It's easy to forget about all of those MP3s you ripped in the 90s and beloved family pictures when all you can focus on is destroying the cause of your shame and avoiding federal prison. You will, however, want to make sure to back up all of your important and legal data, however, since the whole point of the resulting exercise is that those things will be... you know... gone.
- Erase all of the data on the hard drive with software. While the more exciting methods of destruction will do a pretty good job of rendering data irretrievable, they can't be 100% guaranteed (especially if you have reason to believe the government is willing to spend several months and millions of dollars to find your dirty, dirty secrets). You can do this on your Windows or macOS without having to download or purchase any extra software. Wiping your data and blowing up your drive, however? Yeah, nobody's getting that back.
- See How to Wipe a Computer to learn how to get started.
- A complete wipe of your computer will probably do the trick. Only someone with very serious forensics equipment could recover your data after a wipe.
- Open the computer case and remove the hard drive. The hard drive can be located in different spots in each type of case, sometimes within a metal box. You can look up where the hard drive is located online if you're struggling to find it.[1]
- Remove the casing from the drive. To remove the casing, you'll likely need to loosen a variety of screws, depending on your hard drive's make and model. Possibly cutting some tape. Be warned that there are often screws hidden underneath labels, so you might have to go poking around.
- Remove the magnets. You will need to remove the arm and magnet structure in order to reach the platter underneath (your real goal). There are screws involved. It's pretty straightforward. Remove the magnets carefully because they are seriously very strong and you can really hurt yourself with them.[2]
- Seriously, you will struggle to get them off a fridge. You can break fingers with these things. And for the love of whatever you pray to, don't eat them and don't let your pets eat them (pets, in this case, includes kids).
- Remove and dispose of the platter(s). This is the thing that looks like it would make a nice mirror. You'll probably need to unscrew the circular piece at the center which holds in down. This is the thing that stores (the majority at least) of your data, so you'll need to destroy it. Sometimes there is more than one platter, so pay attention to that.
[Edit]Destroying a Hard Drive Physically - Incinerate the hard drive. Burning the hard drive guarantees that your data will be completely destroyed within minutes. It's best not to start a fire for the sole purpose of destroying your hard drive. To safely burn the drive, contact a reputable data destruction service that performs safe, on-site incineration services.
- Smash the drive with a hammer. Before doing this, insert the drive into a cloth bag so the pieces don't go flying everywhere. Get a hammer (either one lying around your house or at a hardware store) and smash your drive with it until the drive's broken into thousands of tiny pieces. Once done, divide the remnants up into multiple bags and dispose of each separately so they cannot be pieced back together.
- Puncture the drive. If you have a sharp knife or any metal pins, you could push them through both sides of the drive itself in order to put holes in it and render it unusable.
[Edit]Warnings - It's impossible to guarantee that any method for permanently erasing your data is 100% effective. Proceed with caution when using any of these steps.
- Make sure to use best safety practices when destroying your hard drive to prevent serious injury.
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| How to Keep Track of Fuel Use Posted: 16 Sep 2019 09:00 AM PDT Fuel efficiency is a pretty important feature of cars these days. This means it's also pretty important to know how to measure it. Fortunately, it's pretty easy for almost anyone to keep track of their fuel use. All you need is a spreadsheet for tracking mileage driven and fuel purchased. Then, divide your mileage by your fuel use to get your car's miles per gallon measurement. [Edit]Creating and Using a Spreadsheet - Open a spreadsheet with 5 vertical columns for data entry. You can opt to either make this spreadsheet in a small notepad or on a computer platform. The digital version will be easier for reading and making calculations, while the notepad version is best for tracking fuel usage on the road.[1]
- This is because you can place the notepad in your glove compartment with a pen and make notes to it from the front seat of your car. The digital spreadsheet can only be edited when you have access to your computer.
- Microsoft Excel is probably your best bet for making an easy-to-use spreadsheet for tracking fuel use.
- Set aside the first 4 columns for date, odometer, mileage, and gallons. Label the tops of the first 4 columns "Date," "Odometer Reading," "Mileage," and "Gallons Purchased." If you live in a country that uses the metric system, simply replace "Gallons Purchased" with "Litres Purchased."[2]
- Although putting the columns in this order isn't strictly necessary, this is the most intuitive layout for this type of spreadsheet.
- These first 4 columns will be comprised of information you'll take from your receipts whenever you fill up your car.
- Make the 5th column the "Miles per Gallon" column. This will be a calculated column that you'll create by dividing the information in the "Mileage" column by the info in the "Gallons Purchased" column. This column will be the most important for determining the fuel efficiency of your car.[3]
- If you're using the metric system, this column should be labeled "Kilometers per Litre."
- Keep your receipt and note the odometer reading when you get gas. Your receipt contains nearly all of the information that will go into your spreadsheet, so make sure to keep it safe. Write the mileage from your odometer onto the receipt to keep all this information together.[4]
- Make sure that the receipt includes the number of gallons you purchased from the gas station.
- Reset the trip meter before you leave the gas station, if you have one. Many cars have a trip meter next to the odometer that keeps track of how many miles you've traveled in a given trip. Reset your car's trip meter to 0 before you leave the station so you can easily determine how many miles you've gone in between fill-ups the next time you get gas.[5]
- If you don't have a trip meter, you'll still be able to calculate mileage with the information on your odometer.
- Input the data from your receipt into your spreadsheet. Mark the date in the first column, the reading from your odometer in the second column, the mileage driven since your last fill-up in the third column, and the amount of fuel you put in your car in the fourth column. If you don't have a trip meter, you can calculate your mileage by subtracting the odometer reading from your last fill-up from the current odometer reading.[6]
- For example, if the odometer read "34,120" when you last filled up your car and now reads "34,230," then you can determine your mileage with the following equation: 34230-34120=110.
- Divide the miles driven by gallons purchased to get your car's MPG. Take the number from the "Mileage" column and divide it by the "Gallons Purchased" to determine your car's miles per gallon measurement. A higher MPG means that your car is more fuel efficient.[7]
- Repeat this process whenever you get gas to track your fuel use. By keeping track of how often you buy gas, how much you buy, how much you drive in between fill-ups, and so on, you will have a firm grasp of how much fuel you're using over time. What's more, once you have all this information laid out, it'll be much easier for you to figure out how to use less fuel overall.[8]
[Edit]Using Alternative Methods - Use an app to keep track of your mileage if you have a smartphone. There are a number of free and paid smartphone apps that use GPS technology to track your mileage for you. This is a very easy way to track your mileage in between fill-ups if you normally take your phone with you when you drive.[9]
- Mileage Expense Log is the most popular app for the iPhone, while MileIQ and TripLog are the most popular apps for Android phones.
- Sign up for a fuel-tracking website. There are several websites out there that provide you with handy software for tracking your car's fuel use. All you have to do is register an account on the site, input your car's information, and provide the relevant information after each fill-up.[10]
- The relevant information includes things like how much fuel you purchased and what your odometer reading at the time was.
- The most popular website for tracking fuel use is Fuelly.
- Keep a notebook in your car to track your fuel use by hand. Use this notebook to write down how much fuel you purchase at each fill-up, along with any other information you want to keep track of. Make sure to keep a pen or pencil in your car as well, so you'll always have something to write in the notebook with.[11]
- For best results, go with a notebook that's small enough to fit in the glove compartment, underneath the driver's seat, or in the side pocket of the car door.
- Make a habit of keeping your receipts after pumping gas. Put your receipts in your wallet, purse, glove compartment, or somewhere else you won't lose them. Doing this will give you a handy "paper trail" you can use to track your fuel use if you're not using any other tracking method.[12]
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| How to Make Guacamole Posted: 16 Sep 2019 01:00 AM PDT Guacamole is a popular Mexican avocado salad or dip that's quite easy to make. The base of most any guacamole is mashed or chunked avocado. Mix in onions, cilantro, chilies, seasonings and serve it with tortilla chips. This is a basic guacamole formula, but don't be afraid to mix in other things to make it your own. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Main Ingredients - 2 ripe avocados
- ¼ onion, diced
- 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
[Edit]Optional Ingredients - ½ tomato, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
[Edit]Making Traditional Guacamole - Start by dicing your onion. Avocados oxidize quickly. Cutting them at the absolute last moment ensures that they stay fresh and green. Start by cutting an onion in half. Halve again until you have one quarter. Dice the onion with a sharp knife. Set aside in a small bowl.
- If you want onion with a less acidic bite, wash your diced onion under cold water in a colander and drain. Water will help remove some of the sulfuric acid in onions (the same sulfuric acid that makes you cry when you cut an onion).
- Mince the pepper. Mince your serrano or jalapeño pepper and combine in the same bowl with the onion.
- If you want less spicy guacamole, remove the seeds and veins from the pepper before you mince it. Seeds and veins are especially hot.
- Chop about 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro. Bunch the cilantro together with one hand. Carefully chop it with a sharp knife and combine with onions and peppers.
- If you want, feel free to cut the cilantro stem along with the leaf. Unlike parsley, which has a fibrous and unappetizing stem, cilantro stems are pleasing additions to guacamole.
- Mince one small garlic clove (optional). Guacamole doesn't necessarily need garlic, but many consider it an essential ingredient. If you do plan to use garlic in your recipe, mince a small clove and combine in bowl with onions, peppers, and cilantro.
- Thoroughly combine onions, peppers, and cilantro. In order to get the best possible flavor, consider spending some extra time mashing the onions, cilantro, and serrano chili pepper with a fork so that they release their oils. This isn't absolutely essential if you're in a hurry, but it makes a big difference in the end.
- If you happen to have a mortar and pestle (or traditional molcajete), now's the time to gently grind the onion, pepper, and cilantro together.
- Slice the avocados in half and remove the pit. Take a sharp knife and slice the avocados in half lengthwise. Pull the seed out from the avocado half and make sure no seed bits remain in your avocado.
- It's better to use an avocado that's too soft than too hard. Since this is the main ingredient in guacamole, it's important to choose nice avocados whose flavors will highlight your dish.
- It might help to twist the avocado halves as you're pulling them apart.
- Cube the avocados. Cut a grid-like pattern in the avocado halves. Don't cut through the skin.
- Scoop the avocados into the bowl with the remaining ingredients. Take a spoon and scoop the cubed avocados from the peel into the bowl with your onions, peppers, and cilantro.
- Use your spoon to combine the avocado with the rest of the ingredients. If you like chunkier guacamole, use your spoon to gently break up the avocados until the onions, peppers, and cilantro are evenly distributed but the avocado isn't completely smooth. If you like smoother guacamole, mash the avocados until the avocado is creamy.
- If you'd like to, add lime to your guacamole while you break up the avocados.
- Be sure to salt your guacamole, too. Sea salt adds a nice crunch to guacamole that table salt doesn't give.
- Introduce ripe, diced tomatoes into the guacamole (optional). If you have less-ripe tomatoes, combine them before you break up the avocados. If you have ripe tomatoes, introduce them now; ripe tomatoes are delicate and are worth highlighting.
[Edit]Spicing up your Guacamole - Add sweetness with diced mango or pomegranate seeds. Fresh mango adds a tangy sweetness to your rich guacamole. If you enjoy sweet flavors in your dips, try out a Mayan salsa called xec. Pomegranate seeds make your guacamole visually appealing as well as slightly sweet.
- Add a smoky element to your guacamole with roasted tomatillos or pumpkin seeds. Roasted tomatillos or toasted pumpkin seeds give your guacamole a whole new depth of flavor.
- Play around with other unique additions. Don't be afraid to make your own additions. It's hard to mess up guacamole and easy to create your own unique version. Drizzle olive oil on top. Include the zest of a lime or Meyer lemon. Try adding a small amount of grated queso fresco cheese.
- Garnish the guacamole. Sprinkle cilantro over the top and serve immediately. Other options for garnish include:
- Thinly sliced radish
- Oven-roasted corn
- Chips or tortillas arranged around the side of the guacamole bowl
- For a firmer, less watery guacamole, remove the seeds from the tomato before adding it to the mix.
- The guacamole will oxidize when in contact with open air. [1] To avoid this, use the guacamole immediately or cover it with plastic wrap before serving.
- When mixing your guacamole all together, you can use a potato masher to get an even consistency.
- Use cilantro sparingly at first as it has a very strong flavor and can easily overpower the dish.
- A tip to keep an avocado from turning brown is to drop it into boiling water for ten seconds and then immediately place in a bowl of ice water. This kills the enzyme that reacts with oxygen & turns it brown. If covering with plastic wrap, press the plastic directly onto the guac to eliminate air contact.
- To tone down a spicy guacamole, add a dollop of sour cream or cottage cheese.
- To check if your avocados are ripe, squeeze them gently. If they give a little and are a bit soft, they are good to use. [2]
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