Them USB flash thingies

[bogeyman]

X-Rays can kill FLASH memory dead - permanently. X-Rays are relatively high energy and can penetrate the chip casing because of the short wavelength. This causes the memory cells to get ionised which changes the data consequentially ******* up the filesystem on the device. If enough energy is applied the transistor junction will break down. FLASH is mass produced poorly manufactured crap these days so it's more prone to trouble.

Yet many pro photographers carry flash cards (with their irreplaceable assignment shoots on) in and out of airports, everyday without incident.

I think the low-dose x-ray sources used in today's scanners wouldn't trouble a flash card (or your internal organs) much.

[Joe Black]

Safest bet I guess would be simply to stick the thing in your pocket and walk through the metal detectors as I'd be surprised if it went off...or alternatively just use memory cards and an adaptor, e.g.

[TheMonkey]

Yet many pro photographers carry flash cards (with their irreplaceable assignment shoots on) in and out of airports, everyday without incident.

I think the low-dose x-ray sources used in today's scanners wouldn't trouble a flash card (or your internal organs) much.

It's a probability thing. It does happen. I lost a SanDisk 512M going through customs at Zurich last year. Then again they probably do that on purpose being the swiss. Good job I zapped it onto a CDR.

[darmstadt]

Fortunately most security conscious airports won't let you not put a laptop or whatever through the scanner. If you start making a fuss at the scanner they say, "look, sir, you've got three choices - put it through the scanner, go back and check it in as hold luggage, or leave it here with me to dispose of down the local pub as soon as I'm off-duty".

At Newcastle yesterday they couldn't be bothered with me taking my laptops out but at Schipol I had to take them both out. At Frankfurt I only had to take one out but open my bag so the other was visible. At some airports, namely the USA, I've actually had to power them up. I carry a number of USB flash memory devices, ranging from 15 mb to 80 gb and never had a problem. I also carry 2 spare hard drives, also never a problem. My artifical vagina did cause some problems though.

[ASB]

My artifical vagina did cause some problems though.

I followed a lady through security at one airport who had a bag check because the scanner didn't like it. She certainly seemed to have some interesting products. And a very red face.

[Swamp Thing]

Had some grief with the Germans (don’t we all?) at Hamburg Lubeck airport. My laptop, USB sticks & ext HDD got a thorough examination by a rather comely-but-strict officer. She was so suspicious about all the equipment that I got a load of quickfire questions, then she ordered me to stand on a pallet while she took my shoes away for checking. And we were so close to small talk too. SO there I was, coatless, beltless, shoeless, standing on a pallet; I thought, they’ll be asking me to go into the ‘showers’ next…

[The Master]

Try concealing your memory sticks where the sun don't shine. No need to put them through the X-ray machine then.

[Not So Wise]

Yet many pro photographers carry flash cards (with their irreplaceable assignment shoots on) in and out of airports, everyday without incident.

Remember a story a few years back of a group of wildlife documentary makers who spent about a year filming something or another in the deep dark jungles of Africa.

When they were done and arrived back in the UK some plod told them to put their equipment though the X-ray machines, the guys were naturally concerned so explained what kind of stuff they had, guy told them it was all perfectly safe as they had upgraded the machines so they did not cause damage.

Result? Everything wiped and a year’s work down the drain.

[The Master]

All the more reason to store any valuable magnetic media up your ass.

[Fleetwood]

At Bordeaux airport once an old granny in front of me was stopped because the scanner thingy beeped as she went through. They found a metal vibrator in her inside pocket. She was clearly embarassed and said it was "for her piles".

True but