Re: Shipping a hard drive safely

[jgeorge@whiffer.mese.com (Joe George)]

joko@well.sf.ca.us (Joe Kohn) writes:

> The folks running the X-Ray machine at the airport told me several times
> that it was safe to run the hard drive through the X-Ray machine. I came up
> with a quick one...I said something like, "I make $XX,XXX per year, and all
> my work is on that hard drive. Before running it through the X-Ray machine,
> I want a signed statement that if it is damaged that you will give me
> $XX,XXX to cover my lost work". They let me through without x-raying it.

Geez, you don't have to be so cocky with airport personnel.  You can
hand-check just about anything if you ask nicely enough.  If I have
anything like that (a laptop, even a box of diskettes) all I say is
"This is computer equipment and I don't want to Xray it" and they're
more than accomodating, without threatening them to sue.

As for shipping hard drives, I do everyday and I've never had one
damaged in shipping.   If you can get your hands on stiff shipping foam,
that's best (at least 3 inches on all sides) or tightly wrapped bubble
wrap (4 inches or more) will support your drive sufficiently. Just pack
the drive so it doesn't slide around inside the box.

Joe
--
Joe George (jgeorge@whiffer.mese.com, emory!indigo!whiffer!jgeorge)
Actually, I _do_ speak for The Waffle Whiffer
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