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    Can airport X-ray wiped the HD?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by phidik, Jun 23, 2006.

  1. phidik

    phidik Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm planning to go on a trip overseas and would like to bring several 3.5" HDs.

    I am thinking of putting them in my check-in baggage.
    Would the X-ray render my HD useless?

    Based on my experience: don't put undeveloped 35mm film in the baggage, it'll burn the film.
    Thanks
     
    phidik, Jun 23, 2006
    #1
  2. dragonesse

    dragonesse Notebook Deity

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    people bring laptops on planes all the time, so i would imagine it's ok, but that's an excellent question.
     
    dragonesse, Jun 23, 2006
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  3. Unreal

    Unreal Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    Why would a x ray wipe a HDD?
     
    Unreal, Jun 23, 2006
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  4. zicky

    zicky Notebook Evangelist

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    It doesn't wipe out your HD. Long ago, there were floppy disk (LOL), these were/are very sensitive and a simple magnet would wipe them out, so I would guess an X-ray would and that fact has sticked for quite a while afterwards. I'm not sure but maybe the first HDDs could be erased with X-rays but now it's not the case.
     
    zicky, Jun 23, 2006
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  5. Androo

    Androo Notebook Evangelist

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    good question, i was wondering the same thing.

    But yea, I would think that people (like myself) believe that because hard disk and floppy disk sound similar, that they have the same issues.

    But now that I think about it, a hard drive is far from the hardware in a floppy disk.
     
    Androo, Jun 23, 2006
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  6. lku

    lku Notebook Consultant

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    My laptop has gone through the airports, x-ray machines and metal detectors several time with no problems.
     
    lku, Jun 23, 2006
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  7. phidik

    phidik Notebook Enthusiast

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    What I heard from people:
    The X-ray machine that screen your carry-on bag is not the same as the X-ray machine use to scan your check-in lagguage.

    For one: the x-ray machine that screen your carry-on bag is photo safe.
    The X-ray machine that screen your check-in baggage IS NOT photo safe. That happened to my undeveloped film.

    I assume the X-ray machine use to screen the check-in lagguage is X-tra strength :D
    I remember in the old days to put floppy disk in a lead case. In fact, I still have that lead case.
    Thus, could it somehow ruin HD?
     
    phidik, Jun 23, 2006
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  8. titaniummd

    titaniummd Notebook Deity

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    titaniummd, Jun 23, 2006
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  9. phidik

    phidik Notebook Enthusiast

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    X-ray machine generates a short burst of magnetic field, no?
    That's what kills floppy diskette.
     
    phidik, Jun 23, 2006
    #9