With modern, high-density drives, if you only drill one hole, some data may remain on un-drilled portions of the platter.

For absolute security, sanding down the platter surface is more effective than drilling alone. 4. Safe Disposal

If you cannot destroy the drive physically, you can use software to wipe it:

Once drilled, the drive is now e-waste. Take it to a local electronics recycling center. Alternative: Data Destruction Without Drilling

Identify the shiny, magnetic platters inside. Clamp it Down: Secure the hard drive firmly in a vice.