Can Degaussing an HDD Damage It?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the potential for dust and water to degauss the surface of an HDD and the various scenarios that could lead to data loss, such as dust particles or even the touch of a finger. It is noted that opening an HDD to expose the platters can greatly damage the drive and make it unusable, but there are data recovery companies that specialize in repairing and recovering data from damaged HDDs. It is also mentioned that helium is used in some HDDs, making it difficult to refill them if they are opened.
  • #1
CookieSalesman
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Can a speck of dust degauss the surface of an HDD?

Or perhaps water?

If you grabbed an HDD with your hands, assuming you don't braise the surface, would THAT degauss it?
 
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  • #2
Degaussing is done with a magnet so if your fingers were magnets then they could degauss the drive.

The other more likely scenario is getting a speck of dust on the drive (normally they are hermetically sealed) platter which winds up scratching the disk as it spins.

Another scenario is a head crash where the r/w head scratches the platter causing a loss of information.

More info on HDD:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk

Check out the topic on Integrity and Failure about two thirds into the document.
 
  • #3
If you have opened a HDD to expose the platters
you can pretty much write the drive off. You will never be able to remove every speck of dust before resealing the drive
And anyone of the remaining specks is likely to cause the problems jedishrfu stated in his second sentence

you don't even need dust particles, if you inadvertently touched the surface with your finger, just the grease deposit will be enough to ruin it

cheers
Dave
 
  • #4
And even if you can keep all dust out and not touch the platters with greasy fingers, how are you going to refill the hdd with helium? (Rhetorical question.)
 
  • #5
davenn said:
If you have opened a HDD to expose the platters
you can pretty much write the drive off.
There are data recovery companies that do open HDD's in order to repair them, reseal them, and recover data. I assume they have some type of clean room.
 

What is degaussing?

Degaussing is the process of erasing data from a hard disk drive (HDD) by exposing it to a strong magnetic field. This process is used to securely wipe data and make it unrecoverable.

Can degaussing damage an HDD?

Yes, degaussing can potentially damage an HDD if it is not done properly. The strong magnetic field used in degaussing can cause damage to the internal components of the HDD, rendering it inoperable.

How can I ensure safe degaussing of my HDD?

To ensure safe degaussing of your HDD, it is best to use a professional degausser that is specifically designed for HDDs. These degaussers have built-in safety features to protect the HDD from damage.

What are the benefits of degaussing an HDD?

Degaussing an HDD ensures that all data is completely erased, which is important for security and privacy purposes. It also allows the HDD to be reused or disposed of without the risk of data recovery.

Is degaussing the most effective way to erase data from an HDD?

Degaussing is one of the most effective ways to erase data from an HDD, as it completely destroys the magnetic field on the disk. However, there are also other methods such as physical destruction or software wiping that can also be effective depending on the level of security needed.

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