EM pulse will destroy unredeemable any laptop?

Question

I would like to hear an answer at this question.Will an em pulse device destroy a laptop's hdd ,ram ,processor to an unredeemable manner?
Do the national agencies like fbi or nsa have any device to recover the informations?
It might be SCI FI but i m really interested:)).

Thanks a lot

Answer 1

A magnetic disk close enough to be damaged by EMP would instead be destroyed by the blast which generated it. Shielding would be an adequate countermeasure, and especially surge protection at any attached cables. The recording head can change the magnetization of the disk because it's extremely small and extremely close to the disk.

Answer 2

An Electro Magnetic Pulse causes high current in electronic devices. This current burns out the electronics. And it should wipe out storage devices too since they depend on the arrangement of minute magnetic particles.

However, there are devices that have been "Hardened" against such EMP's. Depending on the level of energy in the EMP, most shielding can prevent them from bursting the electronic guts out of equipment. But I believe once they do destroy your information, there's no getting it back.