Can screws become magnetized?

[Gary King]

Can screws become magnetized if you attach them to a magnet to often, and soon they can damage your HD if they come in too close contact?

I am asking because I normally put all my screws together by attaching them to a magnet, so that I don't lose them. How do you guys normally organize all those annoying screws?

 

[[Spectre]]

Any ferrous metal can become magnetic if it is in a magnetic field long enough. Will those screws damage your harddrive, no.

 

[Gary King]

So for instance if I have screws attached to a magnet for a year (just an example) then even if I drop the screws on the HD, it won't damage it at all? But of course, the magnets itself would damage the HD.

 

[[Spectre]]

So for instance if I have screws attached to a magnet for a year (just an example) then even if I drop the screws on the HD, it won't damage it at all? But of course, the magnets itself would damage the HD.

What size magnet are we talking about here?

 

[jpmkm]

Of course they can become magnetized. If they can be attracted to a magnet then they can become magnetized. I doubt they would affect a hard drive, though.

 

[[Spectre]]

The reason I ask is the only permenant magnets that would come close are some of the neodymium magnets which you aren't likely to have. Even then I am not 100% sure which way it would go. Could there be a strong enough electromagnet to erase/damage it yes.

 

[Santasballz]

before you use the screws, drop them on the ground a couple of times (don't lose em!), that will pretty much demagnetize them.