An old hard drive sits in a drawer, taking up very little space. You do not know what is on it. You do not have the right cable. Part of you wants to throw it away; part of you suspects there might be something important. This guide helps you decide.
The short answer
Not yet. A drive is worth keeping until you have checked what is on it, copied what matters, and verified the copy. After that, how you dispose of it matters as much as whether you do.
Why not just throw it away?
Two reasons.
- You may lose something irreplaceable. Old drives often hold the only copy of family photos, videos, scanned documents, school or college work, or accounts files.
- The data may be read by someone else. A drive thrown in the dustbin or handed to a scrap dealer can be read by whoever picks it up. Deleting files or formatting does not reliably prevent that.
Step 1: Find out what is on it
If you can, connect the drive gently, once, to a computer using a suitable cable or enclosure. For internal drives from old desktops or laptops, you may need an adapter. If you are unsure, ask for help rather than forcing it. If the drive clicks, grinds, or is not recognised, stop and see our guide on clicking hard drives.
Step 2: Copy what matters
Copy anything you care about to a safe place. Then check that the copy opens properly. Use the 3-2-1 idea for the things you cannot replace: three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one somewhere else. Our guide to old hard drives and free checklist describe the steps.
Step 3: Wait, then check again
Give yourself some time. Over a few weeks, open the new archive and see if anything seems to be missing. Ask other family members if they remember anything on that drive. Many families only realise what was on a drive when someone asks for a particular photo or document.
Step 4: Dispose of it safely
Only once you are confident, choose how to let go of it. In order of increasing security:
| Method | What it means | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Keep it | Store it in a dry, cool place | When you are not yet sure, or have emotional attachment |
| Erase it properly | Use a full-overwrite or secure-erase tool, not just deleting or quick format | When the drive works and you want to reuse or pass it on |
| Physically destroy it | Make the platters unreadable, for example with a drill through the casing, or through a recycler who destroys drives | When it held sensitive data, or when it no longer works and cannot be erased |
| Authorised e-waste recycling | Hand it to a recognised recycler | Once it has been erased or destroyed |
Whatever you choose, verify your copy first. Erasing and destroying cannot be undone.
What if the drive no longer works?
A drive that does not work may still hold data that can be read by a specialist. It may also still hold private information. That is why it should not go in the bin. If you decide not to attempt recovery, destroy it before you dispose of it, or keep it until you are ready.
What if it belonged to someone who has died?
Please wait. Photos, documents and financial details may be on it, and your family may want them years from now. Put the drive in a safe place, label it with the owner's name and the date, and take your time.
How to store drives you keep
- Keep them away from damp, heat and magnets.
- Use a padded bag or box, and add silica gel if you live in a humid place.
- Do not stack heavy things on them.
- Remember that a stored drive is not a backup. Drives age even in a drawer.
If you would rather not do it yourself
If you have a collection of old drives and do not know what is on them, you do not have to work through it alone. Our risk assessment can show you where you stand, and you can talk to us about the next step. We will help you copy what matters first, and the decision about what happens to the old drives will remain yours.