Re: How to damage a floppy?

[hlevinsn@rci.rutgers.edu (Hank Levinson)]

"Simon Biber" <simon@basilisk2.cjb.net> writes:

>Yah. A constant magnetic field does almost nothing. It is the speed at which
>it's changing that determines how much effect it has on the coating. You
>might get better results by passing the magnet rapidly back and forth over
>the disk. But as Boffo said an electromagnet running on AC will rapidly do
>the trick, as it creates a rapidly pulsating field which will align the
>little magnetic regions much faster.

>Simon.

To kill a disk, use a controller card with a blown 74LS05 chip. Also, if your
disk drive ruins disks, test this chip on it.

The magnet from a microwave oven magnetron does a good job killing a disk. So
do "rare earth" magnets from Radio Shack. But the best job was done by my dog,
Corollary; She chewed (extra) holes in disks.