How to erase Lacie HDD with magnet?

[NovemberWhiskey]

My Lacie external HDD just failed on me, and although the drive is covered under warranty (I just have to pay return shipping) they told me that data recovery will cost $13xx.00+.

1. Does data recovery usually cost that much? They told me I need to use a certified class 1 clean room data recovery center.

2. Is there any way to make sure the contents on the HDD are not recoverable once I send it back to Lacie. I have very sensitive information on there, and although they said they magnetize it to render the data unrecoverable, I'd like to try to do something similar on my own before it leaves my possession.

Currently the drive cannot be read by my laptop (making a hard clicking noise with whine). I was told the HDD is dead by the technician.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

1. Yes., if an outside company has to be involved, since they take apart the HDD, if data recovery software does not work.
2. Using a strong magnet to delete data.

 

[murphychris]

IMO there is fundamentally no difference between using a strong magnet, which very likely will damage the disk (more), and drilling a hole in it, or using a bat to shatter the platters. So I suggest you ask them how you should destroy the data on a non-working disk to your satisfaction (i.e. can you drill a hole in it and still return it for warranty claim)?

This is a good reason why full disk encryption is a good idea.

Does data recovery usually cost that much?

Yep. That's why backups are a good idea. The very fact you even decided to call indicates the data was important so the question I think everyone reading this wants to know is why you weren't keeping backups.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

IMO there is fundamentally no difference between using a strong magnet, which very likely will damage the disk (more), and drilling a hole in it, or using a bat to shatter the platters. So I suggest you ask them how you should destroy the data on a non-working disk to your satisfaction (i.e. can you drill a hole in it and still return it for warranty claim)?

This is a good reason why full disk encryption is a good idea.

Does data recovery usually cost that much?

Yep. That's why backups are a good idea. The very fact you even decided to call indicates the data was important so the question I think everyone reading this wants to know is why you weren't keeping backups.

that was my backup drive. No, I did not back up my backup drive.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

that was my backup drive. No, I did not back up my backup drive.

Now you hopefully do (not meant smirkingly), because HDDs can fail.
I have one 500 GB HDD for my photographs (digital and analog) libraries and editing documents, one 500 GB HDD with my personal video footage in an editing friendly format.
Both 500 GB HDDs get backed up to one 1 TB HDD via CarbonCopyCloner.
And that 1 TB HDD gets backed up to another 1 TB HDD via CarbonCopyCloner.
Therefore I have three copies of my important data.

 

[murphychris]

that was my backup drive. No, I did not back up my backup drive.

If it's a backup drive, you have originals on another disk (or disks) in which case you still don't need recovery services. Unless it's not JUST a backup drive and you put the only copy of important data on it, for which there is no backup.

 

[miles01110]

Your data isn't that sensitive anyways. Just return it and be done with it.