Do magnets really damage your laptops?

@Fulltank (2882)
Philippines
October 13, 2009 5:47pm CST
I have using my laptops for quite some time now. I carried it to all my field work. Yesterday, as I put my laptop in a machine that has a big magnet on it, my colleague reminded me not to place my laptop besides the magnet. He claims that it will erased all the data on my laptop's hard disc drive. It's my first time to heard such thing, so I inquire some explanation from him. He said that since hard disc is being run thru magnetic fields inside it the magnetic field of a magnet will alter all the data inside the hard disc. Quite and interesting theory, so I move my laptop away from the magnet. Is this true? Do magnets really create damage on laptops?
1 person likes this
5 responses
PYneer
@PYneer (96)
• United States
14 Oct 09
yes it will. some magnets are so strong they can kill u. there was an episode on mythbusters where they used magnets to erase credit cards. should watch it.
Fulltank
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
Okay, magnets do erase credit cards data. I've seen the myth buster episode too. But can they really erased hard disc data. Just seen another episode over NGC, and I just want to know what does myLotters think about this question.
Hopefull90
@Hopefull90 (921)
• United States
18 Jan 13
I know they erase cards with magnet strips because I put a subway card on the door with a magnet and when my daughter took it to the shop there was nothing on it.
SanSiim
@SanSiim (157)
• Estonia
13 Oct 09
Yes magnets indeed erase all the data on your hard drive, so be careful with it :P As for the other parts of laptop I really haven't heard that magnets somehow influence or damage those (maybe only screen that might get all blurry and violet).
Fulltank
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
If they do, how big or strong the magnets to make this kind of damage? I have put some small magnets to my laptop and it doesn't affect its functions at all.
SanSiim
@SanSiim (157)
• Estonia
14 Oct 09
Well since the laptop hard drive is hidden underneath some plastic the magnet would maybe have to be a bit smaller than your fist maybe. Don't really know and ain't going to test it atm :D
Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
5 Jan 13
This would depend on the intensity of the magnet. If the flux density generated by the magnet is not very strong then it should not be a serious problem, but even then prolonged exposure could have an effect. In the case of a very strong magnetic influence then the danger is obviously increased accordingly. Virtually all electronic equipment from televisions to mobile phones can suffer harm when exposed to excessive magnetic fields.
h8739182
@h8739182 (448)
• India
19 Oct 09
If your laptop comes in the contact of very powerful magnets , it will do some serious damage to your hard drive as well as the LCD screen of the laptop. So take necessary precaution while doing the field work. Take care.
jaysumalnap
@jaysumalnap (236)
• Philippines
19 Oct 09
if a strong magnet is beside your laptop, your hard disk's head will crash as it will be pulled by the magnet thus misaligned.