🚀 go-pugleaf

Michael,

The "old parallel port tape backup" probably has tape that has a
coercivity of about 300 Oe as compared to more than 600 Oe for a floppy
disk. That "old" tape will be much more susceptible to stray magnetic
fields than will a floppy disk. 

However, all are more tolerant of magnetic fields than you might expect.
As a experiment, I suggest that you try to erase or corrupt the data on
a duplicate floppy disk by exposing the disk to a magnet held at various
distances from the disk surface. I believe that you will be surprised at
the results.

Regards

Bill

BILL R. King, PE
Data Recovery International
2621 Brookridge Drive
Hurst, TX, 76054  USA

Tel 817-281-8901
Fax 817-656-0079

http://www.datarecover.com
brking@datarecover.com

Michael Salem wrote:
> 
> Duncan W Kennedy wrote:
> 
> > I have to take 250 floppies by internal air tomorrow.
> > Are they safe from x-rays at (UK) airports?
> 
> X-rays themselves won't damage magnetic media. Watch for close
> magnetic fields (e.g, don't put them in a bag on the floor of an
> electric train with motors possibly under the floor).
> 
> Magnetotstatic fields fall off very rapidly with distance, so a few
> centimeters of separation from the field make a difference.
> 
> As the X-ray machines may generate magnetic fieldes, I'd put the
> discs in the MIDDLE of a bag and let them go through.
> 
> You could always back up the presentation on a writeable CD. In fact,
> it's got to be better than 250 floppies.
> 
> Or a cheap, old parallel port tape backup with 250MB capacity.
> 
> Best wishes,
> --
> Michael Salem