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I'm scared! Using my brand new shiny MBP 15inch on an airplane? Will this kill my HDD
- Thread starter icedvovo
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I flew about a half million miles with my PowerBook G4 before the stress finally killed the hard drive. I think you'll be fine for a while at least. 
For comfort, I never would get my computer out on flights. Even in business class, it's just such a pain, to me.
I say "never would," because now I don't even take a computer when I fly away. It's too much of a pain. I Just take iphone.
I worry about those plastic security bins scratching them.
I say "never would," because now I don't even take a computer when I fly away. It's too much of a pain. I Just take iphone.
I worry about those plastic security bins scratching them.
After the attempt, on all inbound international US flights you aren't allowed any electronic equipment in the last hour of flight (you aren't even allowed to go to the toilet (stupid, but meh..).
Back to the topic, I use my laptop every time I'm on a train/plane/occasionally a car. It's amazing to think of the heads hanging tiny distances from platters spinning at over five thousand rotations per minute. I suppose that eventually fate will catch up with me, but I have daily backups on my Time Machine and HDDs are as cheap as dirt.
Back to the topic, I use my laptop every time I'm on a train/plane/occasionally a car. It's amazing to think of the heads hanging tiny distances from platters spinning at over five thousand rotations per minute. I suppose that eventually fate will catch up with me, but I have daily backups on my Time Machine and HDDs are as cheap as dirt.
if you think the airplane doesn't have some hard drives of its own in there your kidding yourself
But if it makes you feel better you could always buy an SSD just to be sure, haha
have fun
But if it makes you feel better you could always buy an SSD just to be sure, haha
have fun
If you had read about this you would know that this is related to taking computer INTO the US from international flights, but you didn't read it.
A 15" MBP is extremely difficult to use in coach class. There isn't enough room to put the screen at a comfortable angle, and there isn't enough room for your arms between you and the computer, so you will probably keep hitting the person next to you. This is one situation where a 13" would really come in handy.
Generally I don't use my laptop on planes, but now that they have internet, I might do so more often despite the discomfort.
The OP's concern is somewhat valid. Mechanical hard drives float the heads on a cushion of air, and that air cushion is the only thing that keeps the head from crashing into and destroying the platter. At some altitude there isn't enough air for the heads to float on, and trying to use one at that altitude could destroy the disk.
Most hard drives have an operating altitude rating (probably very conservative), and as far as I know, most (all?) of them are high enough to be used in planes. If brand X hard drives sometimes died during use on airplanes, I'm sure you would hear about it here with all the complaints people post. In fact, I'm sure there would be several threads per week about it. The fact that people use their laptops on planes all the time and I haven't heard of any failures because of it suggests that it isn't something to be worried about.
Generally I don't use my laptop on planes, but now that they have internet, I might do so more often despite the discomfort.
The OP's concern is somewhat valid. Mechanical hard drives float the heads on a cushion of air, and that air cushion is the only thing that keeps the head from crashing into and destroying the platter. At some altitude there isn't enough air for the heads to float on, and trying to use one at that altitude could destroy the disk.
Most hard drives have an operating altitude rating (probably very conservative), and as far as I know, most (all?) of them are high enough to be used in planes. If brand X hard drives sometimes died during use on airplanes, I'm sure you would hear about it here with all the complaints people post. In fact, I'm sure there would be several threads per week about it. The fact that people use their laptops on planes all the time and I haven't heard of any failures because of it suggests that it isn't something to be worried about.