The magic smoke comes out so that you know its working. It's a very human design.
this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2025
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I always wanted a novelty 5 inch bay device that was release a small wisp of smoke from the front of the pc case, like mission impossible. It could be a command, or randomized and it would councide with a BSOD or just a power-off command (probably screen off now that I think about it).
You could probably build a lookalike using an ultrasonic vaporizer. Just fire it up and have it emit a puff of vapor on command.
You could probably do it with a vape from the gas station... theyre basically just mini fog machines with nicotine added.
Random would be great for when someones over and you're playing a game.
Smoke? I want the entire thing to explore like a Star Trek console.
Frankly I was hoping to see a lot more… Back in the early 2009’s my employer was hit hard by the capacitor plague - we had something like 700 server motherboards recalled. Before the recall we had a handful of servers suffer “thermal events”. Long story short, the on-board video chip would erupt in a geyser of smoke & flame about 6-8 inches high.
The magic pixies are escaping.
Unless you have had three independent data recovery companies confirm the data can't be recovered - I'm not buying it.
For the software erase it says:
Even if power is interrupted during the data wiping process, the drive will automatically resume clearing data the next time it gets power, says Team Group.
We aren’t sure of the wiping algorithm or tech, so we would assume there remains a chance of data recovery after this software-powered wipe, or partial wipe.
For the hardware erase, it says recovery might be more effort than it's worth. So sounds like neither mode gets proven results.
It's essentially a dangerous scam.
It does seem like it would be simpler and more reliable to use full disk encryption to encrypt the data before it's written, and just destroy the key if you want to nuke the data.
That isn't good enough for some very sensitive data
Destroying the encryption key tends to be the only reliable way to put the data beyond use. Physical destruction techniques like the obe in the article have been tried before, and iften leave the data intact, just destroying the driver side of the chips. It's not easy to retrieve the data, but a sufficiently determined and resourced oppinent can do it.
Obviously, there's no reason not to do both, for added certainty, but if the encryption protocols used in proper FDE are compromised, we have a lot more to worry about.
The US has shredders that turn paper into powder. That powder is then disposed to a secure location.
For the hardware erase, it says recovery might be more effort than it's worth. So sounds like neither mode gets proven results.
No, it says that soldering new ICs onto the drive to be able to re-use it is likely more effort than it's worth. The original ICs are still burnt.
Lies. I see no self-destruction in action here.
did you stare long enough?
I stared at it for 10 seconds, which is double the advertised time it's expected to explode. I want a refund!
Came here for old school Mission: Impossible reference and wasn’t disappointed.
Lies
No one wants to microwave their mass storage anymore. 😡
We just keep making it easier for perry the platypus
like literally a turn this into even more ewaste button?
No, it just wipes the encryption keys.
Edit: actually it has two modes. The second does make it e-waste, but I don't think people are going to be invoking that mode often.
Only if the FBI is at your door I assume
What if they come to the window?
Then you won't have time to push the button, especially with a hinged cover. They know they're coming, you won't.
If you're worried about your door getting kicked in, then you need to take out the battery, fully encrypt the hard drive, and wrap the power cable around your ankle.
You should probably have some plan for if you're put under duress, but I sure don't and would immediately decrypt all of my secret gay porn.
I think the red button was only for the demo
I've been H/W Quick Eraseing ESP32s and ATMEL chips for over a decade now
Not buying it, unless there's smoke involved at the end.
"SSD smoke. Don't breathe this!"
Good morning, Mr. Phelps...
That music, Jesus...