- A
Donate the drives to a local charity after wiping them with a free tool.
Why wrong: Donation introduces risk if wiping is incomplete; also, not all drives may be reusable, and it may not meet compliance.
- B
Use a certified e-waste recycler that offers secure destruction and recycling.
Certified recyclers follow standards for data destruction (e.g., shredding) and recycle materials, meeting both security and environmental goals.
- C
Physically break the drives with a drill and dispose of them in the regular trash.
Why wrong: Drilling may not destroy all platters, and landfill disposal is not environmentally friendly and may violate regulations.
- D
Perform a quick format and sell the drives online.
Why wrong: A quick format does not securely erase data, and selling drives risks data recovery by buyers.
220-1202 Data Destruction and Disposal Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of data destruction and disposal. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is migrating to new laptops and needs to dispose of 50 old hard drives securely. The drives contain proprietary software and client data. The IT manager wants a method that is both environmentally friendly and compliant with data protection laws. Which disposal method should be chosen?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Use a certified e-waste recycler that offers secure destruction and recycling.
Option B is correct because certified e-waste recyclers follow strict data destruction standards (e.g., NIST SP 800-88) and environmental regulations (e.g., R2 or e-Stewards certification). This ensures the drives are physically destroyed or degaussed to prevent data recovery, while responsibly recycling materials, meeting both security and compliance requirements.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Donate the drives to a local charity after wiping them with a free tool.
Why it's wrong here
Donation introduces risk if wiping is incomplete; also, not all drives may be reusable, and it may not meet compliance.
- ✓
Use a certified e-waste recycler that offers secure destruction and recycling.
Why this is correct
Certified recyclers follow standards for data destruction (e.g., shredding) and recycle materials, meeting both security and environmental goals.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Physically break the drives with a drill and dispose of them in the regular trash.
Why it's wrong here
Drilling may not destroy all platters, and landfill disposal is not environmentally friendly and may violate regulations.
- ✗
Perform a quick format and sell the drives online.
Why it's wrong here
A quick format does not securely erase data, and selling drives risks data recovery by buyers.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often think that physical destruction (e.g., drilling) is sufficient for security, but the trap is that it must be combined with proper disposal (e.g., through a certified recycler) to be both environmentally compliant and legally defensible.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Certified e-waste recyclers often use industrial shredders that reduce drives to small particles (e.g., 2mm or less) or degaussers that disrupt the magnetic domains on the platters, rendering data unrecoverable even with advanced techniques like magnetic force microscopy. They also provide a certificate of destruction for audit trails, which is critical for compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. In real-world scenarios, organizations must verify the recycler's chain of custody to avoid liability if data is later recovered from improperly disposed drives.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Data Destruction and Disposal — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Data Destruction and Disposal — This question tests Data Destruction and Disposal — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a certified e-waste recycler that offers secure destruction and recycling. — Option B is correct because certified e-waste recyclers follow strict data destruction standards (e.g., NIST SP 800-88) and environmental regulations (e.g., R2 or e-Stewards certification). This ensures the drives are physically destroyed or degaussed to prevent data recovery, while responsibly recycling materials, meeting both security and compliance requirements.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.
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