Microcenter HDD recycle

[Guest]

They offer to do it for free but I am worried my data would be out there to the open. Is microcenter trustable with my HDD?

 

[USAFRet]

They offer to do it for free but I am worried my data would be out there to the open. Is microcenter trustable with my HDD?

If it is still functional, wipe it with DBAN then give it to them.
If the drive is NOT functional...who knows.

They don't care as much about your security as you do.

 

[Guest]

They offer to do it for free but I am worried my data would be out there to the open. Is microcenter trustable with my HDD?

If it is still functional, wipe it with DBAN then give it to them.
If the drive is NOT functional...who knows.

They don't care as much about your security as you do.

Should I just go with the classic Drill then hammer the drive into a million pieces? The guy sounded really un-confident about my data being safe.

 

[USAFRet]

They offer to do it for free but I am worried my data would be out there to the open. Is microcenter trustable with my HDD?

If it is still functional, wipe it with DBAN then give it to them.
If the drive is NOT functional...who knows.

They don't care as much about your security as you do.

Should I just go with the classic Drill then hammer the drive into a million pieces?

Is this a bare drive?
Take it apart...fridge magnet donor.

 

[Guest]

They offer to do it for free but I am worried my data would be out there to the open. Is microcenter trustable with my HDD?

If it is still functional, wipe it with DBAN then give it to them.
If the drive is NOT functional...who knows.

They don't care as much about your security as you do.

Should I just go with the classic Drill then hammer the drive into a million pieces?

Is this a bare drive?
Take it apart...fridge magnet donor.

Uhh no I don't think so its my personal drive in my computer. I was going to give it to someone but after finding out its much cheaper just to buy a new hdd instead of wiping it. I just don't want my data getting out there.

 

[Guest]

They offer to do it for free but I am worried my data would be out there to the open. Is microcenter trustable with my HDD?

If it is still functional, wipe it with DBAN then give it to them.
If the drive is NOT functional...who knows.

They don't care as much about your security as you do.

Should I just go with the classic Drill then hammer the drive into a million pieces?

Is this a bare drive?
Take it apart...fridge magnet donor.

Is it safe to have them recycle it?

 

[USAFRet]

Is it safe to have them recycle it?

Probably.
But where it actually goes is sort of a black hole.

Might it go to actual recycling? Death, destruction, shredding...Probably.
Might it end up "refurb" and resold offshore for cheap? Doubtful, but maybe.

I would drill through it and then give it to them for "recycling". They get all of the metals, none of your data.

 

[Guest]

Is it safe to have them recycle it?

Probably.
But where it actually goes is sort of a black hole.

Might it go to actual recycling? Death, destruction, shredding...Probably.
Might it end up "refurb" and resold offshore for cheap? Doubtful, but maybe.

I would drill through it and then give it to them for "recycling". They get all of the metals, none of your data.

So honestly I don't want to destroy my HDD just yet, what happens if they refurbish it? Is my data vulnerable?

 

[USAFRet]

So honestly I don't want to destroy my HDD just yet, what happens if they refurbish it? Is my data vulnerable?

Microcenter does not "recycle it" on their own.
They hand it off to a wholesale "recycler".
They hand it, and a bunch of other stuff, off to the next level guys.
...
...
Eventually, the drive with your precious data ends up in a HUGE pile of crap, on the side of the road in some 3rd world hell hole.
A 9 year old will pick through the stuff, looking for anything remotely "working".
It will be sold for the equivalent of $0.03, as part of a lot of 1,000 theoretically working drives.

Eventually, it may end up in a different system on the other side of the planet.
Or, it may be dismantled for rare earth fridge magnets and its precious metals.

But once it leaves your hands, you no longer have control.

If you are concerned, either take it apart yourself, or just drill through the platters.

 

[Guest]

So honestly I don't want to destroy my HDD just yet, what happens if they refurbish it? Is my data vulnerable?

Microcenter does not "recycle it" on their own.
They hand it off to a wholesale "recycler".
They hand it, and a bunch of other stuff, off to the next level guys.
...
...
Eventually, the drive with your precious data ends up in a HUGE pile of crap, on the side of the road in some 3rd world hell hole.
A 9 year old will pick through the stuff, looking for anything remotely "working".
It will be sold for the equivalent of $0.03, as part of a lot of 1,000 theoretically working drives.

Eventually, it may end up in a different system on the other side of the planet.
Or, it may be dismantled for rare earth fridge magnets and its precious metals.

But once it leaves your hands, you no longer have control.

If you are concerned, either take it apart yourself, or just drill through the platters.

So your saying my data is completely fine and I just need to calm down?

 

[USAFRet]

So your saying my data is completely fine and I just need to calm down?

No, I'm saying the opposite.
Once a part leaves you hands, you have zero control of where it goes, what happens to it, and where it ends up.
Microcenter is merely the start. Trusting them is irrelevant.

If you are concerned, render the "data" completely unavailable. Drill, hammer, whatever.
Personally, I would not hand over a possibly functional drive with personal data on it.

 

[Guest]

So your saying my data is completely fine and I just need to calm down?

No, I'm saying the opposite.
Once a part leaves you hands, you have zero control of where it goes, what happens to it, and where it ends up.
Microcenter is merely the start. Trusting them is irrelevant.

If you are concerned, render the "data" completely unavailable. Drill, hammer, whatever.
Personally, I would not hand over a possibly functional drive with personal data on it.

Ok when I go to microcenter to pick my HDD up. (I'm requesting they remove it) I'm going to bring my drill and screwdriver. Drill a hole through the disc. Walk back in and say "Here so you can't * steal my data bitch." and then walk away?

 

[USAFRet]

So your saying my data is completely fine and I just need to calm down?

No, I'm saying the opposite.
Once a part leaves you hands, you have zero control of where it goes, what happens to it, and where it ends up.
Microcenter is merely the start. Trusting them is irrelevant.

If you are concerned, render the "data" completely unavailable. Drill, hammer, whatever.
Personally, I would not hand over a possibly functional drive with personal data on it.

Ok when I go to microcenter to pick my HDD up. (I'm requesting they remove it) I'm going to bring my drill and screwdriver. Drill a hole through the disc. Walk back in and say "Here so you can't * steal my data bitch." and then walk away?

1. Watch the language, OK.

2. In what context are you presenting this drive to them for recycling?
This is completely unclear...

 

[Guest]

So your saying my data is completely fine and I just need to calm down?

No, I'm saying the opposite.
Once a part leaves you hands, you have zero control of where it goes, what happens to it, and where it ends up.
Microcenter is merely the start. Trusting them is irrelevant.

If you are concerned, render the "data" completely unavailable. Drill, hammer, whatever.
Personally, I would not hand over a possibly functional drive with personal data on it.

Ok when I go to microcenter to pick my HDD up. (I'm requesting they remove it) I'm going to bring my drill and screwdriver. Drill a hole through the disc. Walk back in and say "Here so you can't * steal my data bitch." and then walk away?

1. Watch the language, OK.

2. In what context are you presenting this drive to them for recycling?
This is completely unclear...

Sorry for language I'm just so upset about all of this..

Ok I'm wanting to clean install windows 10 onto my other hard drive. I was originally planning to give this Hard drive to my father who wants a new computer. After much discussing I just figured buy him a new hdd and save a lot of money. So legit all of my files will be on there and everything when I recycle. So I'm just going to request them to recycle since it has no more use to me.

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry for language I'm just so upset about all of this..

Ok I'm wanting to clean install windows 10 onto my other hard drive. I was originally planning to give this Hard drive to my father who wants a new computer. After much discussing I just figured buy him a new hdd and save a lot of money. So legit all of my files will be on there and everything when I recycle. So I'm just going to request them to recycle since it has no more use to me.

OK then...
If it is an actual functional drive, just run DBAN on it before you give it to them.
It will wipe it completely, nothing can be retrieved unless it is the NSA and you are a LARGE target.

 

[Guest]

Sorry for language I'm just so upset about all of this..

Ok I'm wanting to clean install windows 10 onto my other hard drive. I was originally planning to give this Hard drive to my father who wants a new computer. After much discussing I just figured buy him a new hdd and save a lot of money. So legit all of my files will be on there and everything when I recycle. So I'm just going to request them to recycle since it has no more use to me.

OK then...
If it is an actual functional drive, just run DBAN on it before you give it to them.
It will wipe it completely, nothing can be retrieved unless it is the NSA and you are a LARGE target.

I don't have access to a Dban service..
Can I just request they wipe it in front of me?

 

[USAFRet]

I don't have access to a Dban service..
Can I just request they wipe it in front of me?

Do you have a functioning PC or laptop?
Do you have a spare DVD or USB stick?

There is your "DBAN service".

If it is a drive with your personal data on it...it is your responsibility to ensure that the data won't leak.

CSB:
Some years ago, I had occasion to purchase an HP desktop off the reject rack at bestbuy.
I asked the floor sales drone if the system had been wiped and reinstalled
"Yes sir!"
I then asked the sales manager the same thing
"Yes sir, we do that with every system."

Upon getting it home, strolling through the OS and the Registry....the original owners data was still in there.
Name, phone number, address...

Trust them at your peril.
DBAN

 

[Guest]

I don't have access to a Dban service..
Can I just request they wipe it in front of me?

Do you have a functioning PC or laptop?
Do you have a spare DVD or USB stick?

There is your "DBAN service".

If it is a drive with your personal data on it...it is your responsibility to ensure that the data won't leak.

CSB:
Some years ago, I had occasion to purchase an HP desktop off the reject rack at bestbuy.
I asked the floor sales drone if the system had been wiped and reinstalled
"Yes sir!"
I then asked the sales manager the same thing
"Yes sir, we do that with every system."

Upon getting it home, strolling through the OS and the Registry....the original owners data was still in there.
Name, phone number, address...

Trust them at your peril.
DBAN

I'll just drill a hole through it

 

[13thmonkey]

If it works just use the drive? why are you throwing it away at all?