Thinkpad and magnets

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ThinkPad · #1 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:05 am

I have this bag that straps to my bike via magnets. Now would putting my thinkpad in the bag cause any harm from the magnets?

ThinkPad · #2 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:08 am

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v424/anmlife/tank.jpg

this is what I am talking about.

CChoi83 · #3 Post by **CChoi83** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:32 am

I would very much assume so. Unless I find out that IBM houses their HD's in magnetically protected bays, I'd say it's a pretty bad idea.

Leon · #4 Post by **Leon** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:47 am

I wouldn't worry. I think the magnets will be fine.

brewt · #5 Post by **brewt** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:01 am

It'll take a extremely strong magnet to do any damage to data on a hard drive (see Dan's Data for more info on this) and off the top of my head, I can't think of anything else in a notebook that could be damaged by magnets. I think you're more likely to lose data from shock (and that would take a bit of shock).

AssPenny · #6 Post by **AssPenny** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:46 am

I would be more worried about someone seeing you drive that little bike than hurting your thinkpad.

You'll loose dignity before data.

ThinkPad · #7 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:57 am

I was thinking of getting a sleeve to cover the laptop from the magnets? They are pretty powerful to hold the bag down to the tank.

Milhouse · #8 Post by **Milhouse** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:39 am

Are the HDs very sensitive to magnetic fields? How about a 1/8 inch wide Nd Magnet, would that harm something in a T42P? I will have one implanted in my finger this summer and I hadn't thought about that problem yet.

Bob Collins · #9 Post by **Bob Collins** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 8:55 am

I would not worry too much about the magnets, but I am curious as to why you are having a magnet implanted into your finger? Is this the first step to becoming the borg?

Milhouse · #10 Post by **Milhouse** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:33 am

It will give me a 6th sense for magnetic fields, so yes you could say it is the first step to become a borg

Is there someway to find out what field strength a HD can stand? Are there HD datasheets online somewhere?

Bob Collins · #11 Post by **Bob Collins** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:41 am

I think the HD manufacturer should have such things listed or available in a spec sheet. You may have to make a few escalating inquiries to get that info, assuming the average jo at these places may not have it handy and ignore you.

Good luck on the 6th sense magnatism thing.

Maybe it will help you with migratory patterns.

KillaByte · #12 Post by **KillaByte** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:52 am

Since I saw how strong the magnets are which are built into the harddisk (they hold the heads) I no longer worry about possible data loss by magnetic fields

sktn77a · #13 Post by **sktn77a** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:06 pm

There are some pretty strong magnetic focussing fields in airport X-ray scanners, aren't there? I don't know of anyone who has had a problem with their hard drives from these.

ThinkPad · #14 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:39 pm

AssPenny wrote:I would be more worried about someone seeing you drive that little bike than hurting your thinkpad.

You'll loose dignity before data.

not that little

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v424/ ... C00847.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v424/ ... /cl144.jpg

CChoi83 · #15 Post by **CChoi83** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:00 pm

Yum... Silver E36 M3.

ThinkPad · #16 Post by **ThinkPad** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:06 pm

CChoi83 wrote:Yum... Silver E36 M3.

Good eye

Plinkerton · #17 Post by **Plinkerton** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:18 pm

I pulled the magnet out of a 2.5 inch HD and I stuck it to a metal table. It took everything I could to get that thing off the table without sliding it to the edge. Those HD magnets are STRONG. This thing was tiny also. I've heard that it HD's and magnets are okay together for the most part.

MadeInJapan · #18 Post by **MadeInJapan** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 7:08 pm

Don't think I'd put the Thinkpad in suspend or hibernation and then ride around on that bike...would definitely turn it all the way off before it takes a ride. Other than that, I don't see a worry (just make sure it's packed good and has plenty of padding).

brewt · #19 Post by **brewt** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:25 am

MadeInJapan wrote:Don't think I'd put the Thinkpad in suspend or hibernation and then ride around on that bike...would definitely turn it all the way off before it takes a ride.

Hibernation or suspend to ram both would have no problems moving around since they both power off the hard disk (really the only thing that's sensitive to shock).

MadeInJapan · #20 Post by **MadeInJapan** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 8:01 pm

but couldn't the needle skip on the platter?

ThinkPad · #21 Post by **ThinkPad** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:35 am

This pretty much explains it http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2208p107id116572.htm

brewt · #22 Post by **brewt** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:26 am

MadeInJapan wrote:but couldn't the needle skip on the platter?

No, when a drive is powered off, it parks its head. In this state it can handle a lot more shock than when powered on (see a hard drive's spec sheet for actual numbers).

Leon · #23 Post by **Leon** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:45 am

Thinkpad wrote:This pretty much explains it http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2208p107id116572.htm

great article link.....

Thinkpad and magnets

Thinkpad and magnets

wandering off topic

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