Does Secure Empty Trash shorten HD lifespan

[Libertine Lush]

Hi All,

When I was looking up what the Secure Empty Trash option does I happened across a site that said that "this method might shorten the hard disk lifespan." Is there any truth to this?

source of quote: http://www.geckoandfly.com/2009/11/01/secure-empty-trash-and-delete-files-in-mac-os-x-snow-leopard/

Thank you!

 

[GGJstudios]

That's ridiculous! It's just writing to the hard drive. It can't hurt it or shorten its life any more than writing any information to it.

 

[Moocher]

Does Secure Empty Trash shorten HD lifespan


NO

 

[miles01110]

In the most academic sense it shortens your hard drive's lifespan by adding more "write" cycles to the drive. In reality, mechanical failures are going to claim your drive long before this becomes an issue in the first place.