Hard Drives, Airports, and Planes

Modern airports have some hazards including radars, and metal detectors that pose a risk to a hard drive. People are always worried that the X-Ray machine at the airport may erase their data; however, that is usually the least likely culprit. X-rays are not magnetic; hence, they pass straight through most materials. It is unheard of that they ever erased a hard disk.

Extremely strong magnetic fields, including electromagnetic fields can corrupt drives. Strong microwaves can also damage a disk drive. Many times, it is not the internal disk that fails, but the sensitive CMOS semiconductors on the PCB that are fried.

Air Pressure

There is one hazard to a hard drive that is a sure risk, and it is cabin pressure in a plane, or change in pressure. You can tell the cabin pressure is screwy because your eardrums push inwards, which is when you are advised to suck a sweet to "pop" them.

Domestic drives require normal air pressure to function, and a breath hole on the drive equalises the pressure. This is because hard drives operate on an air bearing, where the heads float on a cushion of air. The mechanics for this operation require precise parameters, and if the air pressure is not correct, then the heads crash!

Air Filter Mechanism

A hard drive also has an air circulation filter inside. Over time, the electromechanical components wear producing fine metal particles that float around in the drive. The filter catches these particles and traps them within its fibres.

Filter

At normal pressure, an air bearing pushes the particles to the outermost edge of the platters, and the dust embeds itself inside the filter. However, in low-pressure environments, the dust settles on the disk instead resulting in data corruptions.

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