Traveling With Hard Drive

neonblingbling · Jun 9, 2005

I am leaving on a business trip this Saturday, for a good month and a half. I was wondering what would be the best way to take a spare internal 80 gig hard drive with me. Should I throw it in the retail box, packed between clothes, and wish for the best? Any chances of data loss? Anything worth knowing? Thanks.

Dell_Axim · Jun 9, 2005

Yes, it should be enough protection. After all, hard drives in the retail packaging usually survive the truck delivery!
I'd say try to take it with you onto the plane if you can. One time, I had a suitcase damaged by rough handling.

neonblingbling · Jun 9, 2005

Dell_Axim said:
Yes, it should be enough protection. After all, hard drives in the retail packaging usually survive the truck delivery!
I'd say try to take it with you onto the plane if you can. One time, I had a suitcase damaged by rough handling.

Won't I be in trouble if they ask me to prove it is in working condition if I carry on? Like, I won't have a desktop I can plug it into, and then they will be like "OMGOMGOMGBOMBOMBBOMBTERRORISTTERRORISTSHOOTONSITE."

Dell_Axim · Jun 9, 2005

Install the drive in an enclosure and take a laptop with you to demonstrate that it works.

neonblingbling · Jun 10, 2005

Want to buy me one? http://www.discountlaptops.com/inde...odel_id=1182&category_id=34&category_theme=c1

Susquehannock · Jun 10, 2005

HDD in external enclose with USB2 interface is sweet - SATA even better.

neonblingbling · Jun 10, 2005

...any information if xrays screw up data/anti-static bags mess the system up?

Dell_Axim · Jun 10, 2005

...any information if xrays screw up data/anti-static bags mess the system up?

People have been putting laptops through the x-ray scanner without problems. It won't mess with magnetic media.
The only common thing that's likely to be affected are certain types of films.

Super Nade · Jun 10, 2005

Certain type of film as in above 800. All film upto 800 (Film speed or a measure of its response) is safe. Photographic plates are not and I don't think certain grades of slide film are either. Since I always use 100 speed there is no problem.

As for the original question, you should have no problems at the airport. Just tell the people in charge that your HDD contains important data and is fragile. That is a pretty reasonable explanation.

neonblingbling · Jun 11, 2005

Super Nade said:
As for the original question, you should have no problems at the airport. Just tell the people in charge that your HDD contains important data and is fragile. That is a pretty reasonable explanation.

Hehe, I guess I better at least format it and throw some stuff on (ahem, stuff that won't get me in trouble) on it before I leave.

Super Nade · Jun 11, 2005

They have no right to read your HDD without showing probable cause.

techun · Jun 11, 2005

write in sharpie

Top secret, do not use!!!

Calculusaurus · Jun 11, 2005

Hey there,

I've been through this situation before, so hopefully I can be of help.

When I went home from college over winter break, I simply couldn't fly home my entire system in its Antec P160 case -- so instead I just brought my 160GB hard drive home so I could still access my media.

The hard drive originally came in this shiny, translucent, dark grey plastic; I just put the drive back into that bag, gave it a few layers of bubble wrap, and put it into my carry-on backpack. There were no hassles whatsoever. My hard drive works fine after two such trips.

X-ray scanners shouldn't affect hard disks -- think of all the iPods that get sent through airport scanners everyday.

Dachy · Jun 11, 2005

couldn't you just bring a power supply with you and if they DID ask you, just plug it into the wall and plug the hd in and turn it on? would that even work?

neonblingbling · Jun 11, 2005

Calculusaurus said:
Hey there,

I've been through this situation before, so hopefully I can be of help.

When I went home from college over winter break, I simply couldn't fly home my entire system in its Antec P160 case -- so instead I just brought my 160GB hard drive home so I could still access my media.

The hard drive originally came in this shiny, translucent, dark grey plastic; I just put the drive back into that bag, gave it a few layers of bubble wrap, and put it into my carry-on backpack. There were no hassles whatsoever. My hard drive works fine after two such trips.

X-ray scanners shouldn't affect hard disks -- think of all the iPods that get sent through airport scanners everyday.

No offence to others, but I personally like these kinds of posts the most. Been there, done that.

As for the PSU idea... Sure, it will spin up, but when you short these two pins, the bomb goes off!

flamerail · Jun 11, 2005

neonblingbling said:
"OMG OMG OMG BOMB BOMB BOMB TERRORIST TERRORIST SHOOT ON SITE."

I about died laughting man. Your a piece of work :clap:

Bar81 · Jun 11, 2005

I've taken my hard drive through security several times with no hassles. Just stuck it in my carryon and it went through x-ray unscathed. Nothing to worry about.

dark_15 · Jun 11, 2005

I found this on a search:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=386868

Seems to me the best bet would be to put the drive in an anti-static bag, wrap it in bubble wrap, and stick it on your carry-on bag. It should work just fine!

Traveling With Hard Drive

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