Hey everyone! I'm in a bit of a bind and could use your advice. I used to live in the UK and left a lot of my belongings, including some hard drives and CDs, in my friend's garage when I moved back to India about 8 years ago. I'm heading back to the UK soon and want to sort through my stuff. My main concerns are:
1. I want to check if my old data is still on these hard drives and CDs, and if so, how can I transfer that data to my cloud storage while I'm there?
2. Is there a limit on how many hard drives I can take with me when traveling? I might not even be able to power them up, depending on airport security.
3. If the drives don't work or I find that I've already backed everything up, what's the best and safest way to dispose of them? I need to make sure any sensitive personal data is securely destroyed.
4. If this isn't the right place for these questions, could you suggest a better subreddit or forum? I'm flying out on Thursday, and I'd love to get this sorted out. Thanks a ton!
2 Answers
If the hard drives are functional, checking data off them is pretty straightforward. You can get a USB adapter designed for SATA drives to connect them as external drives—just plug it in and browse your files! As for disposal, if you're really concerned about security, physically destroying them or using a data wiping software is a must. Just be sure they're completely inoperative before disposing of them!
Definitely try testing them first. You might be surprised; they could still work fine. But if you do decide to dispose of them, just make sure that data doesn't get into the wrong hands!
When carrying hard drives, make sure they're well-packed to avoid any damage during travel. If you're unsure about the data on them, it's a good idea to check your cloud storage first. If you're short on space, you could keep what you need locally and upload the rest to the cloud later. Just remember that hard drives are bulkier than USBs, so pack accordingly!
For sure! If you're worried about them getting damaged, just cushion them in your bag. And when it comes to destruction, a sledgehammer works wonders if you need to make those drives completely useless!
Yeah, after sitting unused for so long, those hard drives might not work at all. But if you’re paranoid about losing data, I totally get it! Just make sure to dispose of them properly since they have sensitive info. You don’t want to leave any trace of personal data.
Good point about the USB adapter! Just check that it's compatible with what you have. And yeah, if you’re going to destroy them, a hammer or even a drill can do the trick if you're not too worried about making noise.