memory cards and magnetics

[ann]

this is probably way off topic, but i know i can trust the folks on this site to give me a straight answer so i am posting it here.

someone asked me tonight about getting a memory card near a magnetic i.e. speakers, etc. can the card get damaged?

i didn't know, and based on the "information" tossed around on some places i thought i would ask here as i don't know .

thanks.

ann

[ann]

just thought i would give everyone some feedback,

i called sandisk a few minutes ago, and after about 10 minutes of research this is their reply
We are not sure, however, it would be best to avoid placing the cards near a magnetic field, and keep the card in it's plastic container as well.


just passing along the information for reference.
ann

[dwross]

Thanks Ann for the feedback and thanks for thinking of something that never crossed my mind. I've been watching for the answer since you posted the question.
There are so many gotchas with digital.

[sbuczkowski]

I'm surprised by sandisk's non-comittal response. One would hope that they have tested the data safety of their storage devices in magnetic fields and x-rays since we experience so many of them these days. Oh well.

CompactFlash cards are solid-state devices which shouldn't be effected by stray magnetic fields.

If I get a chance over the weekend, I'll experiment with a CF card and see if I can get it to flip a bit. I highly doubt it.

Steven

[Don Bryant]

I'm surprised by sandisk's non-comittal response. One would hope that they have tested the data safety of their storage devices in magnetic fields and x-rays since we experience so many of them these days. Oh well.

CompactFlash cards are solid-state devices which shouldn't be effected by stray magnetic fields.

If I get a chance over the weekend, I'll experiment with a CF card and see if I can get it to flip a bit. I highly doubt it.

Steven

It's simply not a matter of the card being in the prescence of a strong or weak magnetic field but rather a magnetic field in flux which could possibly induce an electrical current in the card circuitry.

I would say that unless the flux is very very strong - like in an MRI machine, there is little risk involved.

Don Bryant

[SanFranciscoNudes]

Let's put it this way - when you look at sites that talk about how to destroy data (before recycling a unit or whatever) even an industrial strength degausser that will wipe a hard drive won't wipe one of these. They recommend basically shredding them. Modern hard drives are actually pretty OK with magnetic fields - degaussers that will wipe one produce really serious magnetic fields. You're not going to find anything like that around the house.

I think Sandisk is being vague to cover their butt - what if you work in a research lab somewhere that makes huge magnetic fields - but I don't think it's a big concern.