# any harm to exposing a computer disk to an xray at the airport? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351 "2004-11-17T21:55:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saluki\_fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@saluki\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saluki_fan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/1 "2004-11-17T21:55:35Z")
Is there any harm to exposing a computer disk to an xray at the airport? How about a standard memory stick? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![saluki\_fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@saluki\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saluki_fan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/2 "2004-11-18T01:43:53Z")
ok, I’m going to step out on a limb here and I’m going to say it’s harmful to them. Anybody agree? ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/3 "2004-11-18T02:21:13Z")
Considering that every airport security checkpoint these days has a long line of folks passing their laptop computers through, laying flat as instructed by the workers, I am willing to say that it doesn’t do a darned thing to the hard drive or memory; otherwise we would have already heard lots of complaints. By the way, don’t go through the metal detector with a pack of Big League Chew (it is bubble gum in a tobacco-like pouch) in your pocket. I triggered the detector twice and thus earned a ten minutes extra careful inspection at San Francisco’s airport on Sunday. As soon as the fellow saw me pull out the folded green packet he said “Hey, is that Big League Chew?” I thought that it was odd to find a fellow enthusiest in these circumstances, but I calmly replied in the affirmative. He started chuckling and said “That’s what got you, you know. The pouch is foil lined.” After more careful inspection and x-raying of my pocket contents he let me on my way, saying “It definitely was the Big League Chew.” Considering the security climate, I was pleased at the going-over I got even after he found the cause. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/4 "2004-11-18T03:06:21Z")
I won’t say there’s no potential for harm, but they’re a lot better off going through the X-ray machine than the (magnetic) metal detector. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/5 "2004-11-18T04:53:21Z")
A properly adjusted and operated x-ray machine is unlikely to cause problems. However, the magnetic fields from the electric motors that move the conveyor belt have been known to damage magnetic media. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/6 "2004-11-18T10:51:59Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > By the way, don’t go through the metal detector with a pack of Big League Chew (it is bubble gum in a tobacco-like pouch) in your pocket. I triggered the detector twice and thus earned a ten minutes extra careful inspection at San Francisco’s airport on Sunday. As soon as the fellow saw me pull out the folded green packet he said “Hey, is that Big League Chew?” I thought that it was odd to find a fellow enthusiest in these circumstances, but I calmly replied in the affirmative. He started chuckling and said “That’s what got you, you know. The pouch is foil lined.” GREAT! Now the terrorists know to hide their guns in there. I hope you’re happy. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/7 "2004-11-18T12:28:20Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > GREAT! Now the terrorists know to hide their guns in there. I hope you’re happy. Not really - nothing slipped through unchecked. Even though he knew the exact cause, he x-rayed everything, including the pouch of gum, and he carefully checked even the rivets of my jeans with the portable detector. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/8 "2004-11-18T12:47:23Z")
Yeah I know, sorry, I’m not as funny as I think I am sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/9 "2004-11-18T15:47:57Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > GREAT! Now the terrorists know to hide their guns in there. I hope you’re happy. Well, just don’t get the bags mixed up, for goodness’s sake. Wouldn’t want to shoot your mouth off. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-harm-to-exposing-a-computer-disk-to-an-xray-at-the-airport/275351/10 "2004-11-18T16:44:57Z")
I have flown dozens of times with magnetic media (and often a laptop), and only once did I have a media failure, which may or may not have been related to airport security. Based solely on my own experience, I would say that as long as you have two (2) copies of all media, the odds are in your favor that you’ll be ok.