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Magnetic Wobbles Cause Hard Drive Failure

Posted by samzenpus on from the shake-it-up dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to this report by IT PRO, scientists working at the University of California have discovered the main reason of hard drive failure. According to researchers, some materials used in hard drives are better at damping spin precession than others. Spin precession of magnetic material effects its neighbors' polarity and this can spread and cause sections of hard drives to spontaneously change polarity and lose data. This is known as a magnetic avalanche. So next time Windows fails to start, you'll know why!"

16 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Sigh by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Funny

    yes, but the gpl v3 fixes this limitation.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  2. Re:Question by untaken_name · · Score: 5, Funny

    It doesn't effect Windows at all, actually. It might, however, affect Windows.

    --
    http://xkcd.com/386/
  3. As my high school music teacher always said... by RealGrouchy · · Score: 5, Funny

    "So next time Windows fails to start, you'll know why!" It's a bad carpenter who blames his tools.

    - RG>
    --
    Hey pal, this isn't a pleasantforest, so don't waste my time with pleasantries!
  4. Windows won't start?? by suv4x4 · · Score: 5, Funny

    So next time Windows fails to start, you'll know why!

    Because... I didn't install it?

    1. Re:Windows won't start?? by MikeBabcock · · Score: 3, Funny

      Congrats, you've figured out the key to enjoying your new PC :-)

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
  5. I'm disappointed. by Khaed · · Score: 5, Funny

    This has been up at least an hour.

    So next time Windows fails to start, you'll know why!

    Where are all the jokes about this? Seriously! A bad hard drive is not the only reason Windows won't start. It's not even in the top ten. I've had Windows not start maybe once in ten years over a hard drive. I've had it not start for a variety of other reasons... well the number is greater than one, but I don't keep count (I bet twitter did, though).

    C'mon you slackers, it was a slow day, where are my +5 funny posts about the ineptitude of Microsoft?

  6. Re:Which University of California?! by background+image · · Score: 3, Funny

    I heard that they discovered how to "fix" vampires at UC Sunnydale.

    Well I, for one, welcome our new, neutered vampire overlords...

  7. Re:Question by nocomment · · Score: 3, Funny

    Replace the HD or hand in your geek card please.

    --
    /* oops I accidentally made a comment, sorry */
    /* http://allyourbasearebelongto.us */
  8. Re:Sigh by martin-boundary · · Score: 5, Funny

    Only if you're making the assumption that Linux is running from a hard disk installation. Plenty of linuxes are actually run from a cd drive, in which case the poster is correct: this is really mainly a Windows issue.

  9. This could explain where my files go.... by sssssss27 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I backup all of my DVDs to my computer because I have a notorious habit of losing them. Every once in a while I'll go to watch a movie that I swear I've backed up and can't find on my computer. So at least now I can blame it on some science thing and not just my failing memory. Every day science makes one less thing your fault, lol.

  10. How about a bewolf cluster of failed drives!... by Cafe+Alpha · · Score: 3, Funny

    No that's not it. In Soviet Russia, you fail hard drive... No. Where's that goatse link?

  11. Re:Sigh by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

    The tracks can wobble on independent threads under BeOS.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  12. Re:Interesting but WRONG conclusion. by Max+Littlemore · · Score: 3, Funny

    I would not call this a mechanism for "hard disk failure."

    I sure as hell wouldn't call it a "hard disk success"

    --
    I don't therefore I'm not.
  13. Re:Sigh by somersault · · Score: 5, Funny

    Work?

    --
    which is totally what she said
  14. Re:Sigh by bhiestand · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've always liked you, but I have to recommend that you be permanently banned from slashdot for suggesting such a thing.

    --
    SWM seeks new sig for a brief fling
  15. Re:Sigh by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    How is that any different to full windows?

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper