[Upbeat music]

[Video opens to show a person browsing on a laptop.]

[View changes to show the person clicking on a folder called "documents" on the computer.]

[Female narrator]: Getting rid of an old computer? Take precautions to protect your sensitive information.

[The computer user highlights folders containing sensitive information and copies them to an external hard drive.]

If you're not reselling or recycling your computer, as a last resort, you can toss it and destroy the hard drive.

[Onscreen text]: How to: Destroy a hard drive, 1 hour

This hack will teach you how.

[View changes to show a variety of tools and computer equipment laying on a hardwood floor.]

All you need is an external hard drive with a USB cord, your computer's manual, a screwdriver, eye protection, safety gloves and a hammer.

[Onscreen text]: What you'll need: hard drive, USB cord, computer manual, screwdriver, eye protection, safety gloves, hammer.

This hack will take you about an hour.

[Onscreen text]: Step 1

[A hand inserts a USB cord into the computer's USB port.]

Back up any files you want to save onto an external hard drive.

[View changes to the computer's screen. Computer files are shown being copied to the external hard drive.]

[Onscreen text]: Back up files onto an external hard drive.

And then, disconnect the computer from all power sources.

[Hand removes USB cord from the computer and then removes the charging cord from the computer.]

[Onscreen text]: Step 2

[View changes to show a computer manual.]

Use the instruction manual or schematic to find the computer's hard drive and remove it from the computer.

[A hand slowly skims a page in the manual.]

[Onscreen text]: Find and remove the hard drive.

[Onscreen text]: Step 3

[View changes to a hand holding a computer's hard drive and a screwdriver.]

Use a screwdriver to remove any steel shielding material or mounting brackets.

[Hand uses the screwdriver to remove screws and pull off metal shielding material from the hard drive.]

[Onscreen text]: Remove steel shielding or mounting brackets from the hard drive.

[Onscreen text]: Step 4

[The hard drive is placed on a sturdy surface.]

Place the hard drive on a surface that won't be damaged.

[Onscreen text]: Place hard drive on a surface that won't be damaged.

[View changes to show a hand picking up safety goggles.]

Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear, such as protective goggles and safety gloves.

[A woman's face is shown and she puts on the safety goggles.]

[View changes to show the woman putting a pair of safety gloves on her hands.]

[Onscreen text]: Step 5

[View changes to show a hand picking up a hammer.]

Smash the hard drive hard enough to damage the disk surfaces and ports that allow it to connect to a computer.

[A hand is holding down the hard drive while the other hand uses the hammer to smash the hard drive.]

[Onscreen text]: Damage the disk surfaces and parts.

[The tools that were used to destroy the hard drive move whimsically across the screen.]

Nice! Your hard drive is destroyed.

[Allstate logo appears]

[Onscreen text]: Visit allstate.com/blog

[Screen changes to show video source list.]