Drives

1–2 Drives
Drive care
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CAUTION: To reduce the risk of damage to the computer, damage to a
drive, or loss of information, observe these precautions:
■ Initiate standby, and allow the screen to clear, before you move a
computer or external hard drive from one location to another.
■ Before handling a drive, discharge static electricity by touching the
unpainted metal surface of the drive.
■ Do not touch the drive connector pins on a removable drive or on
the computer.
■ Handle the 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.
■ Do not use excessive force when inserting a drive into a drive bay.
■ When the battery pack is the only source of power, ensure that the
battery pack is sufficiently charged before writing to a medium.
■ Avoid exposing a drive to temperature or humidity extremes.
■ Avoid exposing a drive to liquids. Do not spray it with cleaning
products.
■ Remove the medium from a drive before removing the drive from the
drive bay, or traveling with, shipping, or storing a drive.
■ If a drive must be mailed, place the drive in a bubble-pack mailer
or other suitable protective packaging and label the package
“FRAGILE.”
■ 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.