Erase FreeNAS HDD Before RMA

[JonnyAlpha]

Hi, I have to replace a failing HDD which is in my FreeNAS. Before I return it to the shop should I erase the contents? There is probably a lot if personal info etc that I would like to protect.
The HDD was one of three in a ZFS Z1 volume, can the info be accessed from the drive that is being removed? If so then should I format it or even use an erasing utility like DBANs Boot and Nuke?

Thanks

 

[warri]

It is not very likely that any files can be recovered. Also there are not many (if any) reliable ZFS recovery companies. See also http://forums.freenas.org/threads/zfs-file-splitting-over-multiple-drives.15844.
If you want to be 100% sure, format it.

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Warri,
Thanks for the reply, I went ahead and started a Daricks Boot and Nuke standard Erase, it's scheduled to take 3 hours so Im pretty confident in the data removal. The shop I need to take the HDD back to, (EuronicsXXL), is closed for the Weekend so I'll have time to maybe run a DOD or Gunther erase also!!! The WD has a Current Pending Sector Count problem and the Toshiba has a Reallocated Sector Count problem. Both Drives were ada0 and one replaced the other, the remaining 2 drives have never had a problem ???

 

[warri]

I don't think the port is the problem. Of course you could just switch them next time to test it (port doesn't matter to ZFS).