ipod ruined by magnet does anyone know how much that costs to fix?

GO TO ADMIN PANEL > ADD-ONS AND INSTALL VERTIFORO SIDEBAR TO SEE FORUMS AND SIDEBAR

smchenry391

New member
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
1
Points
0
I laid my ipod on top of a magnet about a week ago and i was wondering if anyone has ever had this problem, and if so how how much did it cost to repair it?
 

paranoidxe

New member
Joined
Jan 14, 2006
Messages
3,315
Points
0
You are going to require a new hard drive, not sure how much those run or if you are going to DIY or not.
 

kylo4

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
1,662
Points
0
Location
Ontario, Canada
I noticed static for a bit after I used the Griffin Technologies Vizor case (reviewed here) on my iPod. Its a PDA like case that has a magnet on the whole thing. Can that permanently damage it if I use it more?
 

paranoidxe

New member
Joined
Jan 14, 2006
Messages
3,315
Points
0
magnets are always bad for hard drives, so its best to avoid them when you can.
 

Sparkee

New member
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
5,693
Points
0
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
I have used cases with magnetic closures for quite some time with out a problem. It would take a strong magnet to effect the data store on a hard drive, or any magnetic storage medium for that matter. I seen a test on TV some time ago where they took a pretty powerful magnet to a credit card with out erasing the data on the magnetic stripe. Even though I agree with paranoidxe that it would be a good idea to avoid strong magnets, I don't think the magnets on a case are strong enough to damage an iPod.

I'm curious as to what is the problem with your iPod smchenry391? I would guess the data on the hard drive platters may have been corrupted by the magnet. If that's the case, Restoring it with iTunes should revive the iPod again. Trying to run the iPod while on a strong magnet may cause the hard drive's read/write head to strike the platter which would require a hard disk replacement.
 
Last edited:

Galley

New member
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Messages
4,290
Points
0
Location
Greenville, SC
Website
www.galleytech.com
The only magnets powerful enough to scrub data from a drive platter are laboratory degaussers or those used by government agencies to wipe bits off media. "In the real world, people are not losing data from magnets," says Bill Rudock, a tech-support engineer with hard-drive maker Seagate. "In every disk," notes Rudock, "there's one heck of a magnet that swings the head."
Source
 

kornchild2002

New member
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
12,193
Points
0
Location
Cincinnati
As others have said, the only type of damage that could be done to your iPod's hard drive via a magnet is the physical damage caused by the heads. Data simply cannot be erased by magnets these days unless you have a powerful electromagnet that is made for data erasing (I have seen these and the magnets are huge).

If physical damage has occurred then you will need a new hard drive. You can either pay Apple $250 to repair your iPod or follow the steps for a DIY kit. I suggest that you try restoring your iPod first. This may loosen the heads if they are in a stuck position and it will wipe your iPod's hard drive clean thus making it usable. If restoring it doesn't work then you will need to replace the hard drive.
 

kylo4

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
1,662
Points
0
Location
Ontario, Canada
So then it is definitely safe to use the magnetic Griffin Vizor case (reviewed here) with my 80GB iPod?

I have heard too that it has to be a mega magnet that does it, something to the effect of being able to pull metal out of the sand when its buried a bit.
 

kornchild2002

New member
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
12,193
Points
0
Location
Cincinnati
kylo4 said:
So then it is definitely safe to use the magnetic Griffin Vizor case (reviewed here) with my 80GB iPod?

I have heard too that it has to be a mega magnet that does it, something to the effect of being able to pull metal out of the sand when its buried a bit.
Yes, you can safely use that case. Almost all magnets can pull metal out of dirt/sand but you have to really push them in there. The types of magnets that will erase data are about as round as a basketball and they are hooked up to electrical sources. You could put your iPod next to a 1000 watt subwoofer. It may stick and the heads in the hard drive may stick as well but the data on your iPod will be fine. So yeah, you can use the case.
 

kylo4

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
1,662
Points
0
Location
Ontario, Canada
Today when taking it out of the case the magnet stuck to the back of the iPod. Just to make sure I'll post a pic so you can see it:



You can see the two magnets protruding and the rest of that front is magnetized as well I think.
 
Top