An internet user thought he had found a great deal by purchasing a brand-new hard drive. To his surprise, the device already contained 800GB of data — including professional music production software worth thousands of dollars. This incident reignites concerns about the reliability of online sellers and the risks of buying supposedly new hardware.
A “New” Hard Drive Reveals 800GB of Music Software Worth Thousands
A Reddit user, known as All-Seeing_Hands, recently shared a surprising experience after purchasing what was supposed to be a new 1TB SSD. When he connected it to his computer, he discovered it already contained about 800GB of data, mostly high-value music production software. Among the programs found were Kontakt, estimated at around $299, and Reaktor, valued at $199.
These are widely used tools in music creation, and their presence on a supposedly new drive raised many questions.
Several theories emerged to explain the situation. Some Reddit users suggested it could have been a customer return that wasn’t properly checked before being resold. Others speculated the files were pirated versions requiring activation keys, making them unusable without proper licenses. One theory even proposed the drive was intentionally loaded with software to lure users into installing malware.
The Risks of Buying Hard Drives Online — And How to Stay Safe
This incident highlights the potential risks of buying computer hardware online, even when it’s labeled as new. It’s not uncommon for supposedly new drives to contain existing data, raising doubts about their actual condition and the practices of certain sellers.
For instance, scammers have developed ways to sell used drives as new by tampering with SMART and FARM logs, which store usage and health information. These tricks can erase signs of wear, making used drives indistinguishable from new ones to unsuspecting consumers. This issue has been notably observed with some Seagate models.
Other reported cases include fake drives or storage devices with dummy components. One user, for example, found that the 2TB drive he bought for $10 was actually just an empty shell with no real storage capacity.
To avoid these kinds of scams, experts recommend the following:
- Buy from reputable sellers: Stick to official retailers or well-known platforms to reduce the risk of buying counterfeit or used products sold as new.
- Check seller reviews and ratings: Before purchasing, read feedback from other buyers to ensure the seller is trustworthy.
- Inspect the product upon arrival: As soon as you receive the hard drive, plug it in and verify its actual capacity and whether any data is already present.
- Format the drive before use: Even if it appears new, it’s wise to fully format the drive to eliminate any risk of preloaded malicious files or software.
