Author Topic: Old magnetic stud finders  (Read 14570 times)

Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: Old magnetic stud finders
« Reply #15 on: October 26, 2018, 05:44:35 PM »
Just as an offtopic aside removing the disks from a hard drive effectively destroys the data. One surface has a servo track and the data tracks on the remaining surfaces are referenced to that servo track. It's possible someone could try and manually align the data tracks to a different servo track but would be very labor intensive.

For the vigilant you could also run the magnet over the surface or bend the disk - even a slight amount will render it useless. Or for tin foil hat crowd you could CIA it and drill holes in the disk or scrape the coating off the disk.
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline slip knot

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Re: Old magnetic stud finders
« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2018, 08:16:48 PM »
From what I've been told just exposing the disc to the atmosphere pretty much ruins it.


 But they are shiny. ;)

Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: Old magnetic stud finders
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2018, 08:42:13 PM »
The heads fly very close to the disk surface. Dust or even a fingerprint can crash the heads to the disk so opening them can cause a head crash from dust contamination. There is a special landing zone on the platter for when the disk is powered down other than that contact between the heads and platter is pretty much catastrophic.
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline strik9

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Re: Old magnetic stud finders
« Reply #18 on: October 29, 2018, 10:46:40 PM »
I would be able to use a stud finder as a rebar finder more.

   Let me know where NOT to drill for a wall anchor.  So I may have to go hunting for one...  lol!

   The only one ever spotted was at HD so far.  It was 3 weeks pay.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2018, 10:48:41 PM by strik9 »