Looks like you’ve decided to pack and ship your drive on your own. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Here’s a friendly guide to make sure your drive reaches us safely and in good shape.
- Gentle with your hardware – Start by carefully removing your hard disk drive from its machine or enclosure. The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that sits on the drive’s bottom is a bit delicate, so let’s try to only touch the drive from its casing sides.
- Bag it right – If you have an anti-static bag, that’s perfect to pop the hard drive into. If you don’t, we’ve got a handy trick – wrap it in aluminum foil and then nestle it into a breathable zip-lock bag. This will help protect your drive from any pesky electrostatic discharges.
- Insulate like a pro – To keep your drive nice and safe, we recommend wrapping it in enough bubble wrap to create a comfy 1 – 2 inch insulation padding. The goal is to have it snug and secure inside the box, with no room for it to jostle about during its journey to us.
- Box it up securely – After you’ve cocooned your drive in bubble wrap, let’s make sure it’s secure inside a corrugated box. We don’t want it shifting or moving during transit. Don’t forget to print, sign, and tuck a copy of your project summary (which you’ll find in your project confirmation email and at the top of this page) inside the box.
- Label it clearly – Now that it’s all boxed up, it’s time to seal the box and clearly write your Outsource project ID number on one or two sides of the box in big, bold print. This will help us identify your shipment faster and get things processed quickly.
- Pick a reliable shipper – Last but not least, reach out to a trustworthy shipping company such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, or another you prefer. They should be able to provide traceable shipping details and offer optional shipping insurance.
So there you have it – your handy guide to packing and shipping your drive! If you have any other questions, we’re always here to help.