Selling old external HDDs

[JHZR2]

I have an old WD USB HDD that Ive used on and off for backup. Its a bigger one, has a full size disk inside, and is old enough that it is only 160 GB, figure early 2000s...

I only used it occasionally, and so while Id not want anyone to use it for non-critical stuff, I know the condition of it is sufficient that it should be in fine shape to use for backing files up. Id be willing to sell it on CL for $10 or something so someone who can't afford much else could have one. It is USB 2.0 FWIW.

I don't know that I had much on there that was too sensitive, but some tax stuff, some stuff on a Roth IRA that I have, etc.

Ive used the OSX Disk Utilty to wipe the open and free space in the most secure, 7-wipe DoD compliant method. Is that sufficient to be OK to sell the item?

Or am I really best off harvesting the unit for magnets???

 

[Win]

I smash all my old ones with a hammer.

For only $10, I'd smash it with a hammer.

System Mechanic has a wipe feature that is supposed to be DOD compliant. They probably don't do Mac. They may still have a free download. I use that before I hit them with a hammer.

 

[rationull]

For a hard disk (not an SSD) I'd be comfortable with a Disk Utility multi-pass wipe like you did. I have donated old hard drives that way before.

AFAIK even a single pass free space wipe requires a LOT of effort to possibly recover any data.

 

[JHZR2]

I'm doing seven pass wipes on all used and free space now. I'd hate to see a marginally used items that someone else could use.

 

[Mr Nice]

Drill holes in HD and smash it.

 

[Falken]

Smash them.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Would someone want last year's technology? Even for ten bucks?

I offered a PC that was a couple of years old to the son of a friend for his middle school level work. The kid turned it down because the flat screen was only a 27" and the 2 hard drives were only 998 gigs each. He said it was out of date and worthless. It lacked, he said the processor speed, storage and screen size that would be the least he could accept for his school assignments.

 

[skyactiv]

The disk utility in OSX to wipe a drive is pretty darn good. Only a government agency or someone willing to pay a what a new Rolex cost can get data off your drive.

 

[joegreen]

Why smash it when you could give it to me.

 

[FastGame]

Get an external disk case and use it or, smash it and get the magnets. Ask Hillary how well DOD works

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I'm doing seven pass wipes on all used and free space now. I'd hate to see a marginally used items that someone else could use.

The DOD standard you're using is just fine. I'd have no concern over my data after doing a DOD standard wipe of the files and free space.

The governments up here are idiotic. They'll either insist on a hard drive being destroyed, or they'll drop the computer, HDD and all, straight at a computer resale outlet, and you'll have all the data.

 

[PandaBear]

If you use a disk utility to "wipe" the free space it should be good enough to non military / intelligence storage. Yes you can recover tiny traces of historical data on top of the current blank (i.e. instead of 0V you read 0.1V or -0.1V) if you take apart the hard drive and solder an oscilloscope on the arm's preamp output, but why would you want to do that to something without valuable data (national security).

Heck, I'd imagine even prosecuting someone keeping child pornography is not worth this much effort.