My external hard-drive cables were taken

kerry4sam

I was away for a few weeks and upon return I found someone had entered my locked room.
I also have a safe where I keep my external hard-drive and some paperwork; picked open. You need the key to re-lock it so it was left open when I came back.

The cables for my external hard-drive were taken.
Someone I know says he will look & try find me replacement(s) but obviously someone has the original cables so can use anytime once they locate it again.

I can't wipe it without cables, which will cost me money now to replace, nothing really on it aside from old sentimental photos/videos/notes from my college days etc;
Would you just smash it; or buy cables that can only be used once before wiping.
Once as can't use this external hard-drive knowing someone else has such easy access to what's within.

I'm not looking far for who is responsible,
What decision would you take?

Many Thanks,
kerry4sam

Ted111

is connection esata /firewire/ usb.
if it's usb a to mini. you can borrow one temporarily - they're ubiquitous

like so

lawred2

kerry4sam wrote: »

I was away for a few weeks and upon return I found someone had entered my locked room.
I also have a safe where I keep my external hard-drive and some paperwork; picked open. You need the key to re-lock it so it was left open when I came back.

The cables for my external hard-drive were taken.
Someone I know says he will look & try find me replacement(s) but obviously someone has the original cables so can use anytime once they locate it again.

I can't wipe it without cables, which will cost me money now to replace, nothing really on it aside from old sentimental photos/videos/notes from my college days etc;
Would you just smash it; or buy cables that can only be used once before wiping.
Once as can't use this external hard-drive knowing someone else has such easy access to what's within.

I'm not looking far for who is responsible,
What decision would you take?

Many Thanks,
kerry4sam

Erm... someone broke into your room and picked a safe!

.
.
.

Hard drive cables for a drive you don't seem to care about would be the least of my concerns

Why would somebody take ten a penny cables after breaking into a safe?

What do you have a safe for anyway?

Why would they come back with the cables to use the drive in future? If they wanted the drive, why not just take the thing after breaking into your room?

So much about this has my brow furrowed..

You're not looking for the person who broke into your room and broke into your safe? Is that because you know who it was or these cables are of greater importance right now?

degsie

kerry4sam wrote: »

Would you just smash it; or buy cables that can only be used once before wiping.
Once as can't use this external hard-drive knowing someone else has such easy access to what's within.

kerry4sam

Would you go over that once again for me

Dial Hard

I am so lost right now.

Ted111

Could you upload some photos. I would like to see photos of the safe. Particularly the locking mechanism.
Who else has key/comination for safe. Remember the safe may have been left open to misdirect you.

o1s1n

I cannot make head nor tail of the OP.

Ted111

It could be some sort of reverse-kerry man-joke. A double bluff.

Car99

Bourne is that you?

Wonda-Boy

Sounds like a job for John McClane TBH....

jca

Troy McClure, more like?

degsie

Is there a Kerry CSI division?

riclad

Theres no point in smashing it,
get the cables and delete the data .maybe leave the drive with a friend
or relative if you think the burglar may come back.
why would a burglar take the cables ,leave the drive behind
after taking the time to hack into a safe.
Maybe put a better lock on the door of your room.
caddy for 2.5inch drive is 14 euro,
for 3,5inch drive its 30 euro approx,
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/external-hard-drive-caddy

magentis

what size drive is it,2.5 inch/3.5 inch ?I have seen some external hard drives that just have a normal internal drive in them.It may be possible to connect the drive itself to another computer if its taken out of the enclosure.

kerry4sam

Firstly Thanks for the replies,

Ted111 wrote: »

is connection esata /firewire/ usb.
if it's usb a to mini. you can borrow one temporarily - they're ubiquitous

like so

magentis wrote: »

what size drive is it,2.5 inch/3.5 inch ?I have seen some external hard drives that just have a normal internal drive in them.It may be possible to connect the drive itself to another computer if its taken out of the enclosure.

It's this one. Apologies, should have put that into OP.

One cable would only cost 10€uro but the power-cable may not be possible to buy, I'll know early nextweek if/how much.
Might call into some PC shops where I'm known and see if they've cables I could borrow. Good Idea.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

FanadMan

You could just go and buy an external drive case from somewhere like PC World and put the drive in......Bob's your uncle

petes

How am I going to sleep not knowing why someone broke into your room and then your safe and only took the cables!!!

FanadMan

petes wrote: »

How am I going to sleep not knowing why someone broke into your room and then your safe and only took the cables!!!

It's going to be another "Safe Story".....only in reverse

riclad

that Drive uses a 12v power supply ,
usb cable like this,
sort of square type at one end, flat usb at the other .
see pic here ,
http://www.usb-cable.com/assets/images/IMG_134745668.jpg



going by image search on 400 gig drives .Take a phone pic of the drive rear, where the connectors are .
Or bring the drive with you.

AngryDiMaria

Why do you want to wipe it?

Senna

This thread has it all mystery, safe cracking, electronics theft. OP tells a sexy story and we could have the bases of a blockbuster film here.

SteelyDanJalapeno

To address the original question in the OP, if you wanna wipe it just put a drill bit through it a few times.

Obviously this is irreversible, so if you find the cables down the back of the couch or in the safe in the bathroom etc and realize you've made a big mistake you'll be goosed.

Were they gold cables?

Stoogie

PC shop where i am known

lol i'm sure there is a reason

TerrorFirmer

This has to be a windup? You feel the hard drive can never be used again because someone broke into your room, cracked a safe, and stole a set of standardized cheap cables but left the drive in question behind?

And....you're afraid the person might come back, break in again, re-crack the safe and subsequently decide to access the drive second time around.....?

This is all a bit disturbing.

Senna

I think it's a piss take, either that or the drugs on the day the OP posted were of a particularly fine vintage.

yoyo

Closed as per OP request.