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7–18 Hardware and Software Guide
Hardware Upgrades and Replacements
Caring for Drives
Drives are fragile components that must be handled carefully.
Follow the guidelines in this section to protect your drives.
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CAUTION: To prevent damage to the computer or a drive and loss
of work:
■ Initiate standby before you move a computer or external hard drive
from one location to another.
■ Before handling a drive, discharge yourself from static electricity by
touching a grounded metal object.
■ Do not touch the connector pins on a removable drive or on the
computer.
■ Excessive force can damage drive connectors. Do not use excessive
force when inserting a drive into a drive bay.
■ Handle a drive carefully; do not drop or compress the drive.
■ Before removing or inserting a drive, shut down the computer. If you
are unsure whether the computer is off or in hibernation, turn the
computer on, and then shut it down through the operating system.
■ Avoid exposing a drive to magnetic fields. Security devices with
magnetic fields include airport walk-through devices and security
wands. The airport security devices that check carry-on luggage,
such as conveyor belts, use x-rays instead of magnetism and will not
damage a drive.
■ Do not type on the keyboard or move the computer while the drive
is writing to a medium. The write process is sensitive to vibration.
■ When the battery pack is the only source of power, be sure that the
battery pack is sufficiently charged before writing to a medium.
■ Avoid exposing a drive to temperature or humidity extremes.
■ Avoid exposing the drive to liquids. Do not spray it with cleaning
products.
■ If you must mail a drive, place the drive in a bubble--pack mailer or
other suitable protective packaging, and label the package
“FRAGILE.”