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    Flipping the laptop in various positions while it's on--damage?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by vaw, Jul 1, 2009.

  1. vaw

    vaw Notebook Deity

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    When the laptop is on, can it cause damage (e.g. to HD which is spinning) to it if you hold it in various positions such as flipping it sideways or upside-down, slowly or quickly?
     
    vaw, Jul 1, 2009
    #1
  2. Soviet Sunrise

    Soviet Sunrise Notebook Prophet

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    What the hell? I love gymnastics too man, but not with a laptop, haha.

    As long as you don't move it too quickly or bump it into anything, it won't damage the hard drive.
     
    Soviet Sunrise, Jul 1, 2009
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  3. BobXX

    BobXX Newbie

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    It possibly could cause HDD damage if the movements are too rapid or forceful. But, if the laptop has some sort of hard drive shock protection like many out there today, the chance of damage is greatly reduced. And, of course, with an SSD the chance is completely gone. :)
     
    BobXX, Jul 1, 2009
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  4. Fragilexx

    Fragilexx Get'cha head in the game

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    I'd probably still recommend that you don't do it, you could knock something else, for example a usb stick could get broken off etc.
     
    Fragilexx, Jul 1, 2009
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  5. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    yeah I have done this before, because I wanted to read something off the bottom of it and I didn't wan't to waste time putting it to sleep.

    No damage done to my notebook, but I did notice my temp reading suddenly go 10C higher. and drop back down a few seconds later. maybe the notebook couldn't read the temp corretly when upsidedown.

    BTW I was running orthos at the time so my cpu was at a maximum temp, I was very surprised to see the temp go to 94C from 84C in 1 sec and then back down to 84C two seconds later.
     
    moral hazard, Jul 1, 2009
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  6. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

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    Not that I am aware or experience as damage to internal parts. Just be careful not to grab the notebook in some awkward position that can break/damage the casing or screen.

    cheers ...
     
    qhn, Jul 1, 2009
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  7. Tinderbox (UK)

    Tinderbox (UK) BAKED BEAN KING

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    I tuned a external hdd upside down when it was on to feel the gyroscopic effect and it killed the HDD
     
    Tinderbox (UK), Jul 1, 2009
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  8. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    will my hardrive die? It a 320 GB one with HP protect smart.
     
    sean473, Jul 1, 2009
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  9. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    it may or may not. but it has a higher chance to die if you put it into movement than if you don't.
     
    davepermen, Jul 1, 2009
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  10. weirdo81622

    weirdo81622 Notebook Evangelist

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    My hard drive has never died doing so. If yours does, either it is a bad drive, or you are extremely unlucky.
    What you do want to be careful with is the optical drive. If you have a disc in it and it is reading/writing to it, you should not move the laptop from it's intended position and orientation. Flipping it can ruin a disc, and in extreme cases, a drive.
     
    weirdo81622, Jul 1, 2009
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  11. Fragilexx

    Fragilexx Get'cha head in the game

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    Not if you don't throw it about. If you throw it about, well some HDDs have some clever technology to park the heads quickly etc; but you do realise that your HDD is probably made of glass?
     
    Fragilexx, Jul 1, 2009
    #11