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    Any risk keeping USB flash drives together with magnetic things?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by vaw, Jun 19, 2009.

  1. vaw

    vaw Notebook Deity

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    Will magnetic things such as a compass affect the USB flash drive if they are kept together, say on the same keychain?
     
    vaw, Jun 19, 2009
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  2. cloudbyday

    cloudbyday Notebook Deity

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    yes, it will scramble the data, even erase it.
     
    cloudbyday, Jun 19, 2009
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  3. vaw

    vaw Notebook Deity

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    Oh, thanks, good to know!
     
    vaw, Jun 19, 2009
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  4. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Are you sure you aren't mixing up flash drives with HDDs?

    HDDs do not like magnets - but you are looking at very strong magnets.

    Also, a compss is rather weak - so I highly doubt it'll do any harm - my headphones possibly have more powerful mgnets (my Sony's wereclinging to the BlackBerry case - haven't tried with my Sennheiersers yet) - and they don't affect any IT equipment.

    If you work arounf NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) equipment - maybe yes, although not necessarily, but that's a different league.
     
    DetlevCM, Jun 19, 2009
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  5. Smapla

    Smapla Newbie

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    compasses aren't magnetic, they're just iron needles that align themselves with the earth's magnetic field
     
    Smapla, Jun 19, 2009
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  6. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    No.
    Compasses are magnetic/magentised - but they are very, very, weak magnets.
     
    DetlevCM, Jun 19, 2009
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  7. Razor2

    Razor2 Notebook Deity

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    Flash drives do not use magnetic technology, they can not be harmed by magnets.
    It might be possible to destroy a flash drive with the inducted electric field of an extremely strong magnet. It would short-circuit the electronic components of the drive, but you would need a magnetic field of at least a linear accelerator for that, but a compass won't do it. :D
     
    Razor2, Jun 19, 2009
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  8. DarkSilver

    DarkSilver MSI Afterburner

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    Unless TS use USD 50-100 magnet(illegal?).
    This kind of magnet can even suck electric out of an application or wire.
    I tried it on an electric application(plugged off to avoid death), the gears and soft metal inside were all bended =.=... Obviously, the electric application spoiled after the test.
     
    DarkSilver, Jun 19, 2009
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  9. iGrim

    iGrim Notebook Evangelist

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    Every HD has two SUPER magnets inside so powerful that they are difficult to remove from refrigerators. I would recommend getting an education about hard drives before posting again.
     
    iGrim, Jun 20, 2009
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  10. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

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    lol, I have 6 of these on my fridge. Just they're a little brittle.
     
    namaiki, Jun 20, 2009
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  11. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Yes, HDDs use magnets, but they can be destroyed by magnets too.
     
    DetlevCM, Jun 20, 2009
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  12. RainMotorsports

    RainMotorsports Formerly ClutchX2

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    Yes however most modern drives would require either a very long exposure period or magnets your average person, even your odd person would not have around.

    Biggest magnet I have that would screw up a monitor beyond simple correction and degausing has yet to hurt a hard drive, it appears to be stronger then any auto speaker magnets I have. Also exposed hard drives to fans whose magnetic fields causes screens to go crazy and nothing so far.

    They are shielded as by nature are exposed to magnetic fields, things like that dude on law and order with the magnetic loop around his door way to erase his hard drive, wouldnt have actually worked. Need to run it through an MRI or something.
     
    RainMotorsports, Jun 20, 2009
    #12