🚀 go-pugleaf

Bob,

I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. It seems that there
has been an outbreak of problems with backup tapes. I have been very,
very busy for the past week.

I have not seem any recent data, but possible damage to semiconductors,
especially the newer CPU's is something that I am cautious about. X-rays
and gamma rays are known to cause defects in the lattice structure of
semiconductors. While the probability of an X-ray causing serious damage
to a semiconductor device is very low, the incredibly high number of
devices on the newer wafers and the corresponding small volume of each
device would seem to me to significantly increase the probability of
damage by an X-ray.

If you hear of anything in this area, please let us know about it 

Regards.

Bill


Bob Cousins wrote:
> 
> In <3557A571.7E0F@datarecover.com>, Bill R. King wrote:
> 
> >"Recorded magnetic media are often subjected to to x-ray energy in
> >airport surveillance systems. Tests were performed with various recorded
> >magnetic media in the NBS Radiation Physics Laboratory. The media were
> >subjected to extremely high (lethal) x-ray dosages. No data loses were
> >incurred. Recorded media were also subjected to normal x-ray inspection
> >at two airports with no resultant loss in data"
> >
> >Hope this helps.
> 
> Yep, I think that nails it. If you survive the scanner, so does your data :-)
> 
> Generally, are any items of computer equipment at risk from airport scanners or
> other sources of radiation? I think only photographic film is at risk, and then
> only slightly.
> 
> The main risks to me seem to be all mechanical damage.
> --
> Bob Cousins, Software Engineer.
> Home page at http://www.lintilla.demon.co.uk/