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Can a HD survive a plane ride from the US to FRA?

P

Pete

Diamond Member
My cousin wants me to buy him a HD and bring it over there myself, b/c they're about half the price here (and that's before that rampantly illegal "musicians' tax" they're planning on tacking on :|). I'm worried about whether or not it'll actually survive the move: x-rays, scanners, flight, etc. Anyone know anything about this?

BTW, if you know the customs charge for HD's, I'd be interested in that, too.
 
I brought my CPU and RAM through x-ray scanners, survived. There shouldnt be custom charges if its not a large quantity, plus you're not bringing it for sale.
 
I travel to and from Europe every year with a laptop. There is no effect on magnetic media from XRays . . . unless the XRay machine is messed up and there is too much EMI. Magnetic media is not like film.

As for duty etc., you may have to pay VAT . . . but chances are you won't have a problem at all. Just put it in your briefcase and ostensibly use it for a presentation you are going to make using a local computer. 🙂
 
I think it will be okay, just put it in your backpack.. and when they ask, just say it's used, and personal gift, or item, as long as it's used, it hsould be fine
 
shouldn't have a problem as long as you carry it with you. if it is put into a non-pressurized luggage bay though, you can run into lots of problems.
 
I agree about carrying it on. Why not take it out of the box, wrap up in bubble wrap? Make it more likely to look used.
 
hd's are tougher then they used to be. you should go to some hd manufacturer websites, they make some claims on the toughness of their drives. i think one manufacturer puts a rubber shock protection cover on their hds. As long as they are off, u'd be hard pressed to mess one up(within reason, no dropping from 5 feet onto concrete ok?)
 
Eeexcellent <taps fingers together slowly>. Thanks, people--just what I wanted to hear. My cousin should be pleased. 🙂
 
You should prolly test it at home, you dont want to bring the guy a DOA drive and then have to return or RMA it.
 
Well my long list of stuff survived when I brought them back from Hong Kong!

IBM 75GXP 7200RPM 30.7 GB HHD
2 Sticks of ram PC133 totals at 384MB Mugen Module
Webcam
DVD-Rom chipped
CD-Writer... And some small bits and pieces like thermal grease and stuff.

All survived the transportation from HK to here and customs and also scanners/X-rays and stuff... So you shoudl have no prob!

BTW the stuff was stored in my suitcase with cloths wrapped round it for protection!

Hope this helps you out,

Albert.
 
Some very old airport x-ray machines did erase magnetic media, but not from x-ray exposure but from the magnetic field of the conveyor belt motor or power transformer.

Theft and abuse are far more important dangers.
 
Should be no problems. I just brought back a few hard drives on the plane from HK the other day. Put them in a static-bag, and grab a few of those Seagate &quot;Sea Shells&quot;....those plastic cases that Seagate hard drives ship in. No problems.
 
dont you think anyone like takes their laptop overseas...lol....like all business travelers?....it will be fine...but you get busted in customs you might not be....lol
 
About those anti-static bags: do they still function effectively after you cut them open? Obviously I'm going to test it here first, so I'll be &quot;compromising&quot; the bag. How's putting one bag over another for protection, thus covering the open end?

Also, how does a Seagate Sea Shell differ from a regular foam + cardboard OEM box? Where can I get one (I _won't_ be buying Seagate for an IDE drive)?
 
are you concerned regarding mechanical shock ?
the x ray 's hve been covered see above
pressure chages ( if in hold )

they travel ok from Tiwan China where they are made done they

just pack it well

I had one delivered in a padded bag no foam at all ran for five years Ok
 
the expert word is that Xrays are quite safe, but saying &quot;oh my HD is precious can you put it through the other detector instead&quot; has more risk because of the electromagnetic field.
HDs have an air inlet which is only small and completely filtered in order to equalize pressures over time.
 
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