modern removable media drives

From: CLASSICCMP_at_trailing-edge.com <(CLASSICCMP_at_trailing-edge.com)>
Date: Fri Nov 13 14:39:38 1998

>If we began to discuss the agents that can *actually* destroy data
>on floppies or other media, as opposed to what urban legend and
>"conventional wisdom" maintains as dangerous, that would be fun!

Two categories come to mind:

1. Something that physically or chemically removes or obscures
    the magnetic media. Gouging or scraping off the oxide coating
    qualifies, as does a chemical strong enough that it will
    dissolve the binder holding the oxide to the disk.

    Dust, hair, pepsi, and organge juice are generally too weak to do
    the damage necessary to prevent using the floppy (after cleaning,
    of course!). Aluminum oxide will do it :-).

2. Magnetic fields that are strong enough to overcome the coercivity
    of the media. I find that refrigerator magnets, in direct contact
    with low-density media (i.e. 5.25" 360Kbyte disks) will usually
    result in some bad sectors. With higher-density media, which has
    a higher coercivity, refrigerator magnets aren't strong enough in
    my experience. And unless you put the floppy in direct physical
    contact with the magnets in a PM motor or speaker, you aren't
    going to cause any damage. (I've worked with floppies and hard
    drives in close proximity to multi-Tesla cryogenic superconducting
    magnets without any problems, so speakers and motors don't scare
    me!)

Tim.
Received on Fri Nov 13 1998 - 14:39:38 GMT