Kirk Bubul wrote:

I have recently acquired 2 new WD My Passport 4 TB external hard
drives. I really like their small size, different colors, and
the fact that they get their power from the USB 3.0 cable plugged
into the USB port on my desktop - no separate power cord and
little brick to crawl around plugging into an electrical outlet.

I have three old external hard drives that I would like to
retire. The largest is 3 TB and the smallest is 1 TB. One is an
old and slow USB 2.0. I've tried using several different free
wipe programs, but all seem to require over 15 hours to do a
one-cycle wipe on the smallest drive. I'd like quicker.

Question: Is here a good free wipe program that would wipe these
external drives in less than a workday? Once wiped, I will throw
these old drives away unless someone speaks up and will pay for
the shipping charges to get them from me to them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

You could get a precision torx screwdriver set (or a bit set to use in a
hex bit screwdriver shaft) to open the HDD case and remove the platters.
I think a set cost me about $8 that had the #4, #5, #5.5, #6, #7, #8,
and #9 tip sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/Tamper-Proof-.../dp/B0002SPICU
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-8-...381H/302735271
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Channell...P-5A/206262083
and here's a monster precision bit kit for just $9:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/45in1-Tor...Tool/158339402
(a search on "precision torx set" at walmart.com finds lots of choices)

Basically I needed a set of much smaller torx bits than came in a couple
of mega-piece screwdriver kits. While there are security torx bolts
that require a hole in the middle of the bit, look at your HDD and it
probably has just simple (no-security) torx bolt heads. I got a set of
precision torx screwdrivers because I couldn't tell just by looking
which size was needed.

After salvaging parts out of the HDD, toss the case and ancilliary
hardware and keep the platters as non-insulating mirror-shiny coasters,
something like mounted deer/moose heads on the wall. The magnets inside
are damn strong but but they can be so well-glued or pressed into an
assembly that you can't get them out.

If you want to later discard the platters, just run a magnet over them
in random patterns while rotating the platters. Not many users have
deguassing coils (CRTs faded away a long time ago). If you don't trust
a magnet, put a grinding wheel or wire-brush wheel ($3-$5) in a electric
hand drill and destroy up the coating.

Since you would run a software wipe when you're not around, like when
sleeping, why not erase and then donate to the Goodwill (call them to
check if they take this stuff) or ask your neighbors if they or their
kids would like the USB HDDs. You don't have to be at the computer
during the erase, and the erase doesn't preclude your use of your
computer during the erase.

You could sell it on Craigslist for, say $3 (a little higher if you want
to filter out more unreliable responses). Don't advertize in their Free
category as you get lots of calls from kooks and the majority of
appointments for pickup for free stuff are no-shows, so you waste your
time being around at the pickup time. When they come to pick it up then
just give it to them for free. Don't dole out your phone number in the
Craigslist ad as there are folks using Craigslist to harvest phone
numbers. Use a temporary e-mail address or an e-mail alias (e.g.,
spamgourmet.com) specific to only that Craigslist ad, and ONLY
communicate via e-mail (say that in the ad to avoid some of the
harvesters and eliminate the texters that can try to harvest you that
way). When the ad is over, kill the temporary e-mail account (be polite
to the provider) or kill the e-mail alias. Don't give out your true
e-mail address!

Note: Craiglist eventually adopted Spamgourmet for their e-mail
aliasing system: replies go back through the aliasing system instead
of direct from your client that could expose your true e-mail address.
It works for the sellers to hide their true e-mail address but I'm not
sure if inquiries sent by potential buyers get aliased.