How Long Does It Take To Wear Out Memory?

[garro]

Sorry but I'm not very technical. I download quite a lot of movies and stuff to my laptop and later delete them or save them to cd. I have heard that by doing this it is a bit like rerecording over a cassette tape and that eventually the memory will wear out. Is this true? How long would this take? I want to get a few years out of my mac.

[Crossy]

You're being fed duff info.

The storage mechanism in your hard drive (where the movies are stored) is magnetic like a cassette, but the head does not touch the recording surface (unlike a cassette) so there is no physical wear.

Drives DO fail, but invariably from other mechanisms than physical wear-out of the recording medium, I would certainly not worry that you will wear out your drive

[Tywais]

You're being fed duff info.

Like Crossy said.

An example, I have a network/file server running 24/7 and is being written/read from nearly continuously. Still running after several years.

[jumnien]

Today is my 49th birthday and my memory wore out long ago. My brain's like swiss cheese; I hope you have more luck with your computer!

[Pink Mist]

there has been some research done and it indicates that HD or CD arnt forever, however newer memory storage devices and styles are allways on the market

[garro]

Thanks guys, good to know that I am not wearing out the computer by downloading too much.

BTW, is it true that a Mac can't pick up a virus?

[Guest Reimar]

Thanks guys, good to know that I am not wearing out the computer by downloading too much.

BTW, is it true that a Mac can't pick up a virus?

UNTRUE! Mac can pickup, or better get infected by virus as well but not that much as a PC!