how to pack hard drive without an anti-static bag?

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dalaylamaninkalbi

Commendable
Oct 9, 2016
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Hi to all,

I need to take my HDD with me within a 1-2 hour public transportation which includes also a bus interchange. Unfortunately, I don't have anti static bags and I don't know any place selling them in my district. In these days weather is also cold and rainy. Though, I have these regular bubble wraps and I am not sure if they provide safety against static electricity. Finally, I found a LDPE bag (torn a bit) from my old mobo pack but not quite sure if it will work. So what do you suggest? Are there any other common household items that might help? Or can I just put it in a bubble wrap and take it with me?

Thanks in advance,
 
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How is it too complicated to put it in a bag and wrap it? What?

He's asking what he can use around the house if he doesn't have anti-static bags to pack and carry hardrives safely for a 2 hour journey.

Also, I completely read past the part where you had a semi-torn LDPE bag. Just place it in that with the exposed part of the drive away from the tear, and bubblewrap the outside of it. Away you go on your journey. It'll be fine.
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I would use a pair of zip lock food bags (so double bagged one inside the other) and if you have some left over from any shipments, throw a couple of silica desiccant packets in with the drive. You will not have a static issue and keeping the moisture out is very important.
 
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Last resort, Brown paper bags (Lunch bags) if you have them laying around. They won't conduct electricity and it'll prevent the drive from rubbing against other materials like a laptop bag, or backpack preventing static electricity.
Then bubblewrap outside of the paper bag.
 
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those bubble wraps are made of regular plastic, ideal to create static charges over its surface

having said that, i never carry a hard disk out of any enclosure or a static bag, perhaps a cardboardbox would be better

why do you carry a hard disk without bag or a enclosure around?

most bags for a mainboard should be static free but in general, any device you carry around and handle without you being grouded, will get a static discharge

having sait that, touch first the metallic body and never touch the hard disk connectors or the controoler on the hard disk to avoid surprises
 
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@atljsk Good advice. I had an extra Hitachi 8TB He8 drive left over from a recent storage array build so I stuck it onto my main computer, but have been too lazy to actually put it inside. I laid it on an antistatic bag on the floor outside the case, but it's kinda cold out now so my dog likes to use it as a pillow since it's nice and warm. So far no problems. :lol:
 
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@tumeden hmm, brown paper bag and then, bubble wrap. it seems cool.

@realbeast unfortunately i don't have silica desiccant packets :/ but zip lock sounds nice. and what about this: two zip lock food bag and then bubble wrap? is it safe?

@atljsf thanks for info about bubble wraps, in first place i thought, as they are plastic and as the plastic is non-conducting they were safe to use (it seems that I am wrong 😀).
 
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Ah yes, Brown paper bags are non conductive, then the bubble wrap on the outside of the bag for protection if you're transporting it. Never wrap a drive in plastic, or use plastic bags - that's a no no.
 
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the ziplock bag is also a ideal surface to create static discharges

if you like that hard disk, get a good case and carry that case in the bubblewrap you mention so much

this is what i would get for a 2.5 "

https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Tool-free-External-Enclosure-Supported/dp/B00B0RD2RA

for the 3.5" i would buy this one

https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Aluminum-Enclosure-RX35-AT-SU-BLK/dp/B004K4TE5O/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483567029&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=3.5%22+enclosure&psc=1

or this

https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Toolfree-External-Enclosure-Support/dp/B00GAML7OK/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483567029&sr=1-2&keywords=3.5%22+enclosure

the orico is usb 3

since most hard disk will not reach 80 mbs per second, usb 2 is not that bad, around 45 mbs maximum, pretty fast depending on what you want to copy and time you can spend

theoretically the pink bublewrap is the best option but not a 100% secure product for this task
 
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I didn't abşe to find ziplock food bags so it's out of the plan but happily I managed to find two Gloria Jeans and Starbucks cartoon bags in the kitchen. I believe one cartoon bag and bubble wraps around will fix my problem. I will put it in my backpack too.
 
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I would wrap it in a paper bag first and then a pair of ziplock food bags for static to keep it dry. Seriously though for the past 30 years I have carried hard drives in every way possible and never had a single failure, so as long as you are careful things will be fine.
 
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yes, usually you kill a hard disk by applying pressure over it, or by damaging the controller, the most obvious, letting it visit the floor at a greater speed than 0.001 km per second, aka. hitting the floor and destroying platters and heads
 
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How is it too complicated to put it in a bag and wrap it? What?

He's asking what he can use around the house if he doesn't have anti-static bags to pack and carry hardrives safely for a 2 hour journey.

Also, I completely read past the part where you had a semi-torn LDPE bag. Just place it in that with the exposed part of the drive away from the tear, and bubblewrap the outside of it. Away you go on your journey. It'll be fine.
 
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