Portable hard drive through airport security?

I'm considering moving across the country and trying to plan some
details of the move. I have a portable USB hard drive that contains
some confidential info (I.e. passwords) that somehow needs to get from
where I live now to where I'll be moving. -- First, don't anyone say
not to store passwords on a portable drive because I use a different
one for each account, for security, and I have way too many too
remember them all. -- I figure the most secure way to store the drive
is to keep it either locked away or with me at all times, rather than
with whatever moving service I use.

I'm not worried about the metal detector. What I'm wondering is if
security will let the item through. It would be a drive by itself, so
I'd have no way to demonstrate it working, like I've heard is often
asked of laptop users. Would they simply let it be X-ray scanned then
allow it through?

BubbaGump BubbaGump@localhost wrote:

What I'm wondering is if
security will let the item through. It would be a drive by itself, so
I'd have no way to demonstrate it working, like I've heard is often
asked of laptop users. Would they simply let it be X-ray scanned then
allow it through?

People bring all sorts of electronics through security, like electronics
technicians on their way to a job. They will want to pass it through the
xray machine, and might look more closely at it if the machine operator
wants to pull it aside. Otherwise, it shouldn't be a problem.

On Mar 25, 6:02 pm, BubbaGump BubbaGump@localhost wrote:
I'm not worried about the metal detector. What I'm wondering is if
security will let the item through.

don't worry, I have taken usb flash drives dozens of times, never a
problem.

don't anyone say
not to store passwords on a portable drive because I use a different
one for each account, for security, and I have way too many too
remember them all.

that's fine, but you might want to encrypt the file (easy if it's a
Word or Excel doc) so that if you do lose the usb flash drive, it
won't be trivial for the finder to open the file.

"Bucky" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 25, 6:02 pm, BubbaGump BubbaGump@localhost wrote:
I'm not worried about the metal detector. What I'm wondering is if
security will let the item through.

don't worry, I have taken usb flash drives dozens of times, never a
problem.

don't anyone say
not to store passwords on a portable drive because I use a different
one for each account, for security, and I have way too many too
remember them all.

that's fine, but you might want to encrypt the file (easy if it's a
Word or Excel doc) so that if you do lose the usb flash drive, it
won't be trivial for the finder to open the file.

Actually it is almost trivial to open an encrypted Word or Excel file if you
encrypt using the built-in MS system. There are plenty of programs which
will open these files. I once used one to open a file in the office where
someone had forgotten the password, but I forget which one I used.

Examples:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ope...ient=firefox-a

I often carry a portable hard disk drive through security (international in
UK, SE Asia, Australia) - never had a problem.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Per Larry in AZ:
Showing laptops working hasn't been necessary for a long, long time. You are
required to take them out of their carrying case, but that's it.

Somebody explain to me why a laptop isn't the ideal bomb-carrying device -
especially one with a dock for a spare battery.
--
PeteCresswell

"Flash" drives are those little "thumb" drives you can carry in a
pocket. He described an external hard drive -- the newer ones run
through the USB port, but it's a full-sized external drive.

just to clarify

(PeteCresswell) wrote:

Per Larry in AZ:

Showing laptops working hasn't been necessary for a long, long time. You are
required to take them out of their carrying case, but that's it.


Somebody explain to me why a laptop isn't the ideal bomb-carrying device -
especially one with a dock for a spare battery.

Laptops, the modern day radio/tape player? Remember Lockerbie

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...
Per Larry in AZ:
Showing laptops working hasn't been necessary for a long, long time. You
are
required to take them out of their carrying case, but that's it.

Somebody explain to me why a laptop isn't the ideal bomb-carrying device -
especially one with a dock for a spare battery.

It is, which is why they are x-rayed separately. Apparently, the carryon
x-ray is sufficiently sensitive to discriminate between a block of C4 and a
laptop battery.

--
PeteCresswell

Per Mike Hunt:
Somebody explain to me why a laptop isn't the ideal bomb-carrying device -
especially one with a dock for a spare battery.

Laptops, the modern day radio/tape player? Remember Lockerbie


Lockerbie was what prompted my comment. Didn't mention it bc I couldn't recall
how large/small the explosive-containing device was.... but it seems like if
Reid could get enough of the bad stuff in the heel of a shoe, a PC's secondary
battery bay could hold enough too.

That, plus the (fact?) that air cargo riding in the same planes as passenger
baggage isn't inspected makes me wonder if anybody is really trying to cause
mischief at the current time.
--
PeteCresswell

Per PTravel:
It is, which is why they are x-rayed separately. Apparently, the carryon
x-ray is sufficiently sensitive to discriminate between a block of C4 and a
laptop battery.

That would explain a lot. Thanks.
--
PeteCresswell