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BJano

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 31, 2008
5
0
I recently replaced my 3rd ipod under the 1-year warranty. Each hard drive failed and started clicking, screeching, etc. The last two of them happened in about a week's time. I finally figured it out, I think: I was putting them in a Blackberry holster with a magnetic clasp. The fit was perfect. However, I feel the magnet must have been causing the issue. Surprisingly the folks at the Genius Bar didn't mention it as a possibility, nor is it mentioned -- as far as I can tel -- anywhere as a warning in iPod manuals, web site, etc. Has anyone else had a similar issue?
 
I recently replaced my 3rd ipod under the 1-year warranty. Each hard drive failed and started clicking, screeching, etc. The last two of them happened in about a week's time. I finally figured it out, I think: I was putting them in a Blackberry holster with a magnetic clasp. The fit was perfect. However, I feel the magnet must have been causing the issue. Surprisingly the folks at the Genius Bar didn't mention it as a possibility, nor is it mentioned -- as far as I can tel -- anywhere as a warning in iPod manuals, web site, etc. Has anyone else had a similar issue?

Well, that will happen. If you put a magnet to any HDD, something like that will happen.
 
I recently replaced my 3rd ipod under the 1-year warranty. Each hard drive failed and started clicking, screeching, etc. The last two of them happened in about a week's time. I finally figured it out, I think: I was putting them in a Blackberry holster with a magnetic clasp. The fit was perfect. However, I feel the magnet must have been causing the issue. Surprisingly the folks at the Genius Bar didn't mention it as a possibility, nor is it mentioned -- as far as I can tel -- anywhere as a warning in iPod manuals, web site, etc. Has anyone else had a similar issue?

I think it is quite unlikely. You would need an awfully strong magnet to make an impression on any hard drive.
 
I would think that even a week magnet could screw up any hard drive.....just because I would think any sort of pullling like that would ruin the internals, even if only a little bit
 
So I never knew what exactly the magnet does to ruin a hard drive. Does it create a reaction with the actual platters which causes their data to just get erased? Or is it the damage that causes the head when it moves to the force of the magnet and makes it go out of wack (this would explain the clicking).
 
So I never knew what exactly the magnet does to ruin a hard drive. Does it create a reaction with the actual platters which causes their data to just get erased? Or is it the damage that causes the head when it moves to the force of the magnet and makes it go out of wack (this would explain the clicking).

The data is stored as magnetic particles of 1's and 0's that the read/write head uses a magnet to create and so if you wipe a magnet (a very strong one) over the platter it would disrupt all of the 1's and 0's and so lose/corrupt the data.

*Prepares for argument over how strong the magnet has to be to wipe the disk*
 
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