What do you guys do with your old harddrives?

D

dextr3k

Gawd
Joined
Aug 3, 2004
Messages
550
I have a home nas running Freenas that is very good. However, I have 1 drive that has been giving me bootup and smart errors for the past month. The pool scrubs fine, and is being reported healthy. If it fails to get detected usually a reboot will work and it will run 3-4 weeks no problem.

So I am not taking chances and replacing that drive. However since I can't use it as a backup drive (don't trust it) BUT it still works, it feels very.......uneconomical and unenvironmental to just drop it in the trash.

What do you guys do with your old drives? maybe some creative ways to kill it? :eek:
 
If they're less than 5 years old I have them replaced, thanks to the awesome Norwegian consumer laws. If they're older than that or are removed from a server due to them being replaced with higher cpacity drives I will I use them as backup, even drives that start showing signs of failure. I just won't use them as the primary/only backup.
 
You can use it as a secondary/tertiary backup, in case your primary backup and main hard drive both somehow decide to die at the same time.

I have a 320gb Maxtor hard drive that used to be my OS drive, and was relegated to storage drive when I upgraded to a Velociraptor. Still works perfectly, so it still sits in my computer as my main storage drive for documents, music, and such. I think it's probably 8-9 years old by now.
 
If a drive is having problems I try to get warranty replacement if I still have a warranty. If not I take apart the drive for the magnet or just dispose of it.

For drives that are working fine and are of useful size I will use these in test machines or for backups.
 
CHOOT_EM_Troy_Landry_Logo_wide.jpg
 
I mash them face down into the corner of the dumpster. Generally hard enough to puncture the casing.
 
They usually end up on my workbench....with the rest of my old computer shit.


I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to computer parts. But on the plus side, all my friends know it and usually come to me before buying new shit. So I end up unloading old hardware on friends whenever they need it.
 
I put them in an anti static bag and put them in a drawer and write the drive letter on them.
If they are dying and in warranty, I'll rma them, out of warranty, I'll do the above.
 
On the really old ones, I'll sometimes pull the magnets out, those are handy to have.
 
Drop them off at the electronics recylcing place.

In addition to the city recycling place several electronics shops will recycle them - as well as any other electronic equipment.
 
The worlds best refrigerator magnets,the discs make great wind chimes and the motors can be used for high speed delicate grinding/polishing wheels.
 
If they're still in warranty I RMA them. If they're not it depends on the state of the drive:
No smart errors - backups or externals to transfer through the sneaker-net.
Smart errors but seem to be working - sneaker-net drives.
Not working well. Put them in a drawer, sometimes stuff from there gets taken to a recycling place.
 
I usually take the drill press to them straight through the platters. Then I use them for target practice or simply take them straight to the recycler.
 
Heh, unfortunately I don't (can't) own a weapon in my part of the world. That would have been fun..

It is out of warranty, 1.5TB but I've had the drive for 5 years. Throwing smart errors but seems to be working, so I might use it as a secondary backup.

But I would have liked to shoot it....
 
Last three drives I had, all 5 yr old 640 wd blacks, I zero'd and sold on ebay.
 
Thing is, its throwing smart errors, so I wouldnt sell it anyways, that would have been the way for me to get rid of my other drives...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top