More people should really understand this. I often take old PCs from the local recycling center to scavenge for parts. (To be honest it's just more fun than buying new.) Sometimes they boot and sometimes they don't. Often they've been left in the rain for several days. But the hard drives are always just fine. Family photos, tax returns, school homework... Not that I ever look too closely. Once I know they're working I just reformat them.

I always take my hard drives apart before I throw them away. There's cool neodymium magnets in there! Plus I can shatter the platters with a hammer. There's no coming back after that!