Hard Drive Platters

The Platters in a Hard Drive are Coated with something is it Toxic?

It is a Magnetic Coating Right?

 

Yes- see this write-up https://dataloss.com/uncategorized/what-are-hard-drive-platters-made-of-and-why-does-it-matter/
These materials are then coated with a thin magnetic material, as well as a protective carbon coat and a lubricant layer that helps to prevent the read/write heads from contacting the platters (although the high spin speed plays a bigger role by creating a cushion of air).

 

I don't understand the question. You wouldn't eat them. They don't give off fumes. They are not coated with poison that could be absorbed through your skin. The layer lubricant used on the platters is so thin, you could not lick enough off to be considered toxic, even it is a toxic lubricant - and that has not been established. Lots of lubricants are totally edible.

But you should never be exposed to the actual platters anyway. They are manufactured in a dust free environment, then sealed inside the hard drive case where they are maintained in a dust free environment. This is because one tiny spec of dust can disrupt data access. And certainly finger oils from touching would be bad too. So my point is, any scenario where the actual platters are exposed to human contact is not likely.

 

Biferi, please stop taking your brain out and playing with it, you could go blind or break it.

 

LOL Yes, I've done this myself - just to see what a platter actually looks like first hand.

I guess I should have been more clear and specified "when the platters are expected to be used again". Another scenario would be in a data recovery laboratory, where drives are intentionally disassembled for "forensic" analysis to recover lost data.

 

I've taken drives apart since way back in the 10mbyte drive days. Platters make good inspection mirrors when we weld copper lines in tight spaces to see t6he back side when checking for leaks. Have carried them around in my small tools pouch where the surface does get scratched so I've been exposed to all the materials used. Haven't grown any extra fingers yet.

I have one of the magnets in my pocket now. I use it to pick up shaving after drilling holes either over a finished floor or inside an electric or controls panel for housekeeping purposes.
Haven't grown anything extra near there either!

 

The Screws on the Bottum of the Hard Drive are they Philips Head?

I am trying to Take my Hard Drive Apart but I can not get the Screws out.

Or are they a Flat Head but very Small?

 

Each manufacturer and even models have different screw types. Phillips of different sizes. Hex shaped like an allen wrench. Torx bits. Almost never a straight flat tip. Security and specialty tips are also bound to show up.

Get a magnifying glass and do like plodr.......collect, collect,collect! Have fun!!!

 

If the 'Phillips' have a dot punched into the head (not all all do!), they're JIS and a Phillips driver will strip them or twist out at the high torque needed to undo most HDD screws, eg: https://chapmanmfg.com/blogs/news/phillips-bits-vs-jis-bits-whats-the-difference

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0665/9843/files/JIS_square_graphic_large.jpg?v=1538859084