If your hard drive is exposed to a fairly powerful magnet will it cause any information to be lost or perhaps even damage the drive.
2007-04-03 03:27:22 · 9 answers · asked by K M 2468 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Other - Hardware
Yes. I regularly destroy the hard drives of all computers that we are disposing of by running a large magnet over them. A magnet will not only scramble the magnetic data on the platters, but can bend the read head so that the drive is useless as will as detroy other electronic components with the drive.
2007-04-03 03:32:30 · answer #1 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Hi there.
If that magnet is extremely powerful (not some kind of strong magnet), then there's a possibility that it will do some damage to the drive and the drive electronics. Every hard drive has some form of builtin magnetic shield cover encasing the hard drive to protect such electromagnetic interferance. If there's a strong enough magnet, yes, there's a good possibility that you'll lose data.
Hope this helps
2007-04-03 10:33:14 · answer #2 · answered by iskai 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
UMm in a word it could do a lot of damage if it was put in the right place, if your talking about the entire tower unit then as long as you dont put it over where the hard drive is then it should be ok but im not saying rush out and do it, don't. and to answer your question the most secure way of getting rid of data on your hard drive is a large neodymium magnet or a sledge hammer and pickaxe.
2007-04-03 10:35:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! Your HD is a magnetic media device. The info is stored on the disk of the HD magetically & can be scrambled by being close to a magnet. Same goes for floppies.
2007-04-03 10:32:40 · answer #4 · answered by chavisjames 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't put even tiny magnets near your computer. Our tech guy got all over one of the ladies in our office for sticking some little magnetic cutsey saying on her computer. He got quite frantic, checked all of our computers and then gave us a long lecture about it. So no, don't let magnets near your computer.
2007-04-03 10:40:26 · answer #5 · answered by KIZIAH 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes.Same like disket can't explose to magnet or sunlight.It will cause the damage and explosion.
2007-04-03 11:04:14 · answer #6 · answered by johnlee871231 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
2007-04-03 10:31:33 · answer #7 · answered by Squidward 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My uncle, a computer guy agrees.
2007-04-03 10:37:31 · answer #8 · answered by The Guide Giver of the West 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apparently so - best not to try
2007-04-03 10:34:22 · answer #9 · answered by Pinky 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋