Hard Drive + Magnetic Screwdriver = F'ed Hard Drive?

[JuanDixon]

My friend was trying to install a new hard drive he just got. He used a magnetic screwdriver and came close to touching the hard drives. Now the old hard drive will not boot up, and the new hard drive says "imminent drive failure" on bootup when he puts it in. The new HD is Western Digital, the old one was Maxtor. Any ideas as to what he should do? Do you think the magnetic screwdriver could have caused this? Thanks.

 

[Viper GTS]

Sure, if he slipped & knocked components off the bottom of it.

I had a refrigerator magnet sitting on the inside of my case, directly on the drive cage for months without incident.

The screwdriver probably had nothing to do with it.

Viper GTS

 

[JuanDixon]

Why do you think his old HD no longer works? He didn't change any jumper settings on the old drive, only on the new drive.

 

[gun2k]

I also had a large magnet near my HD for a couple months and no harm was done so the screwdriver probably isn't the culprit. What is? I have no idea. Easiest and most expensive solution: New HD.

 

[JuanDixon]

Yeah, I told him to just call the store and tell them it was defective and let them handle it from there.

 

[Derango]

He probably just got a bad drive. It happens.