laptop and xrays

[livsea2]

Will sending a laptop through xray machines at the airport or at the ship terminal harm it in any way? Are there any precautions I can take?
Thanks ahead!

[Tess2mommies]

I've never had any problems taking my laptop through the security at airports. I will advise you that you must remove your laptop from the bag, turn it on and show them that it works.

I suggest prior to leaving home that you put your computer is sleep mode or standby so when you arrive at security you don't have to wait for it to boot up.

I don't recall putting it through the x-ray machine, just starting it and walking it through with me.

[Coral]

I have put mine through x-rays a dozen times with out any problems.

[MichTraveler]

I put my laptop through xray almost every week without issues. I taped a business card inside for better identification. Don't forget to pick up the laptop on the other side. Seems easy to remember, but at least once a month I hear people being paged to come retrieve laptops that are left behind. Easier to just leave the laptop home and enjoy your vacation ;-)

[livsea2]

Thank you for the answers I am bringing my personal laptop and not I repeat not doing it for business reasons!! That is not a vacation I agree. The answers sparked another question . Must you remove it and turn it on or only if requested? Are the requests to turn it on automatic or at random? Can I just leave it in my carry on and pass through the xray?

[jody]

I travel a lot for work (usually 3 or 4 weeks per month) and the only place I ever have to turn my computer on is when I fly out of Canada. In the past three years, I've never been asked to turn my computer on in the US or in Europe. When laptops were more of a novelty several years ago, it seemed like they asked to have them turned on, but definitely not in recent memory (from my experience anyway).

You MUST remove your pc from its bag and put it in one of the bins (alone) to go through the x-ray, but don't plan to turn it on unless asked. The x-ray machines won't hurt it at all.

My co-workers put a sticker on the top of their laptops, as they all look alike as they come out of the x-ray machine and you don't want someone to take the wrong one. When you see the sticker, you know it is yours.

[bruce-r]

[quote name='livsea2']. Must you remove it and turn it on or only if requested? Are the requests to turn it on automatic or at random? [/QUOTE]

[color=black] I have never been asked to turn on my iBook. All I have had to do is take it out of the bag and send it thru the x-ray machine by itself.[/color]

[quote name='livsea2']Can I just leave it in my carry on and pass through the xray?[/QUOTE]

[color=black]I don't think you should or can leave it on. The caution to keep your eye on your laptop during the screening process as best you can, especially when it comes out of the machine. [/color]

[CruisinChris]

Most of the above is accurate. My laptop has been x-rayed 4 times a week every week since august. It will not harm the computer. They will not ask you to turn it on. It does need to come out of the carry on and go into a grey bin by itself for its voyage through the scanner. SOmeone may ask is this your laptop and they may take it aside and run and explosives scan on it. THis only takes a moment.

[vince_g]

Only magnetic fields like from MRI would harm your laptop. Ionizing radiation like xrays will not disrupt your data.

[Coral]

I have been asked to turn my laptop on about 30% of the time. Sometimes I think our local airport (Lincoln) has some of the strictest requirements of any other airport I have gone through. We still need to remove our shoes when we go through here. If it keeps us safe......