Taking Hard Drive To Uk

[Jacqueline]

I had planned to take my hard drive to the UK when I go as I won't have the money for a new computer.

However, I've just noticed that "computers" are prohibited in checked baggage on airlines.

Does this mean I can take it as hand luggage?

Has anyone done this?

Thanks

J

[Crossy]

I've taken drives (naked and in cases) in both hand and checked baggage many, many times. Never had an issue

I'm intrigued by the 'prohibited' tag, what's your reference?

Edited March 9, 2008 by Crossy

[naka]

O.P. I've noticed that some people use the term "hard drive" when they

are actually talkng about the systems box (computer case) ... are you ?

Tip, you can normally put a hard drive in your pocket/handbag.

Naka.

Edited March 9, 2008 by naka

[JSixpack]

I had planned to take my hard drive to the UK when I go as I won't have the money for a new computer.

However, I've just noticed that "computers" are prohibited in checked baggage on airlines.

Does this mean I can take it as hand luggage?

Has anyone done this?

Thanks

J

Done it a few times, no problem. Haven't heard this "computers prohibited" rule but it will never affect me.

[intumult]

I have also taken hard drives back to the UK and back to Thailand. I packaged it very well and left it in my main luggage (this was a risk of course - from the damage perspective) but as it is a spare drive, I accepted that risk.

Sometimes they want you to activate electrical products to ensure they are what they appear to be ( difficult to test a hard drive outside of a computer) and that is why I packed it safely in my main luggage. I have had cameras and camcorders tested at airports - though not in Thailand.

With regards to 'computers prohibited'. If that is the case, why can we take laptop computers on board as hand luggage - unless they want to be able to test it and are unabe to do so if it is in you checked luggage?

As said above, unless they are referring to the tower sysytem itself?

[Jacqueline]

Thanks for the replies.

What I mean by hard drive (and I may be wrong!) is that I'm taking the whole computer section, ie the tower with the disk drives, memory, on/off switch etc and leaving the monitor behind.

I read on the Terms and Conditions of Carriage sections on the websites of the airlines I'm using (Thai and Sri Lankan) that such things as money, jewellery, "computers", personal electronic equipment and other things may not be included in checked baggage.

Maybe it's just because they're likely to get damaged, in which case I'll risk it if other people have already done this. I just didn't want to get to the airport and be told I couldn't take it. I'm being over-cautious I suppose!

Thanks

J

[regedit]

Thanks for the replies.

What I mean by hard drive (and I may be wrong!) is that I'm taking the whole computer section, ie the tower with the disk drives, memory, on/off switch etc and leaving the monitor behind.

I read on the Terms and Conditions of Carriage sections on the websites of the airlines I'm using (Thai and Sri Lankan) that such things as money, jewellery, "computers", personal electronic equipment and other things may not be included in checked baggage.

Maybe it's just because they're likely to get damaged, in which case I'll risk it if other people have already done this. I just didn't want to get to the airport and be told I couldn't take it. I'm being over-cautious I suppose!

Thanks

J

I tried to take a mid-tower as hand-baggage and they said it was over-weight (I suspected they would) so I put it in a spare case I'd brought along in front of the check-in desk (it just fitted) and checked it in. No problem. On the return trip I managed to carry it on board since they didn't realise it was a pc at check-in and never weighed it (and security ain't bothered about the weight, so long as they can scan it). It's restricted because they don't want the hassle incase it's stolen (same as jewellry and other items you list). So if you don't mind the risk of it gettimng stolen (low risk I'd say) or damaged (medium risk) then just put it in a hard-case and check it in with a smile.

[sumrit]

Thanks for the replies.

What I mean by hard drive (and I may be wrong!) is that I'm taking the whole computer section, ie the tower with the disk drives, memory, on/off switch etc and leaving the monitor behind.

I read on the Terms and Conditions of Carriage sections on the websites of the airlines I'm using (Thai and Sri Lankan) that such things as money, jewellery, "computers", personal electronic equipment and other things may not be included in checked baggage.

Maybe it's just because they're likely to get damaged, in which case I'll risk it if other people have already done this. I just didn't want to get to the airport and be told I couldn't take it. I'm being over-cautious I suppose!

Thanks

J

I tried to take a mid-tower as hand-baggage and they said it was over-weight (I suspected they would) so I put it in a spare case I'd brought along in front of the check-in desk (it just fitted) and checked it in. No problem. On the return trip I managed to carry it on board since they didn't realise it was a pc at check-in and never weighed it (and security ain't bothered about the weight, so long as they can scan it). It's restricted because they don't want the hassle incase it's stolen (same as jewellry and other items you list). So if you don't mind the risk of it gettimng stolen (low risk I'd say) or damaged (medium risk) then just put it in a hard-case and check it in with a smile.

A friend of mine brought his tower (complete) to Thailand from the UK in his checked luggage about three months ago without any problems. He also brought my external hard drive with him in his checked luggage and carried his laptop on the plane as hand luggage. He had no problems at all.

[Gregory Morozov]

Take the hard drive out of the case or ask a friend/tech to do it. Then carry hard drive in hand carry and put tower in checked luggage. Safer this way for a drive.

[katana]

I had planned to take my hard drive to the UK when I go as I won't have the money for a new computer.

However, I've just noticed that "computers" are prohibited in checked baggage on airlines.

Does this mean I can take it as hand luggage?

Has anyone done this?

Thanks

J

Is it a permanent move, or just temporary?

Just thinking it may be easier take a flash drive if a short holiday.

[freitag1]

They occasionally check the serials of software installed on digital media. Happened to me in Australia and Germany. So you might want to encrypt some of your hds to make sure they don't see what they shouldn't see. truecrypt.org

[jjwilson]

They occasionally check the serials of software installed on digital media. Happened to me in Australia and Germany. So you might want to encrypt some of your hds to make sure they don't see what they shouldn't see. truecrypt.org

Wow! That's a new one on me. I'm wondering what they were checking the serial numbers with? Were these security or customs people doing the check?

With regards to flying with the computer case, I would put it in a suitcase along with whatever padding you can fit. For safety, I'd either take the hard drive out of the computer case and carry it in hand luggage or make a backup of it to an external drive before packing in the suitcase.