Got bored

Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:40 pm

So I made myself a screw driver magnetizer with old cat6 waste I had lying around.

It works decently well, but I will want to get my hands on a better power supply to drive it. Was using a cheapy 12v adapter. I had a Dell adapter too but it has an over current safety. No fun. The coil is about 2 ohms so I figure at 12 volts it's probably pulling about 6 amps which is way beyond what most wall adapters are made for. If I actually want to use this coil I'll want to have more turns.

Magnet wire would make more sense then soldering together tiny bits of spare wire, but I'm all for recycling.

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:55 pm

rubbing a screwdriver over a magnet will make it magnetized for a short time, which could be best when you might forget which one you did it to and pick it up and stick it in the computer and slightly bump the ram chips?

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 11:13 pm

Yeah I've tried rubbing with a magnet as well, works decently.

Also as long as you stay clear of the hard drive a magnetized screw driver is fine in a PC. Even if you do touch the hard drive it's probably not strong enough anyway. Now, a hard drive magnet on a hard drive, and it's toast.

Go figure.

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Triple6_wild · Post by **Triple6_wild** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:31 am

Never thought of it that way? How does it not erase accidentally having a magnet inside.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 12:44 pm

It's the location that counts, it's far enough from the platters, but if you put it directly near, it's toast!

I'm sure if I made a large scale version of my magnetizer with way more turns, and applied a higher voltage, I could probably put a hard drive inside and erase it by leaving it turned on for a bit or using a capacitor bank to send a jolt.

Funny thing is, professional hard drive erasers cost thousands of dollars. I'm in the wrong line of business.

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Triple6_wild · Post by **Triple6_wild** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:25 pm

Professional hard drive erasers? You mean someone makes thousands by hitting a drive with a hammer and or running magnets over it. I believe your right lol Lets go into business

But what I mean is a powerful enough magnet in a room about 10 feet away from those old TV's can turn them green/mess colors. No contact needed. I'm sure a drive magnet is very strong so just being as close as it is should have some effect no? Direct contact shouldn't be needed if it's strong enough.

Must take a really powerful magnet to erase a drive?

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:10 pm

Guess it has to do with the way the field goes. The field is stronger on top and bottom of magnet, and not so much on the sides. There's also some shielding (the metal bracket that holds it). Just my guess though.

But you do need some decent magnetism to do a full erase.

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