I found a magnet in a4000d case??

[dnelsonfl]

Hi, I found a nickel-sized magnet on the bottom of an a4000d case. It appears to anchor the plastic piece that goes under the motherboard to keep it from contacting the metal case. But some part of the motherboard would then be on top of this magnet. The plastic piece has cutouts where the screws from the motherboard would pass through into the metal case, and I'd think that should be fine to anchor it. Why the magnet? Is this how it's supposed to be?? I thought magnets and computers were supposed to keep their distance. It's a strong one, too, which is how I discovered it. I had set the floppy tray inside the now-empty case while I went to repair the motherboard's battery. I heard a CLANK! and had trouble lifting the floppy tray back out of the case. When I did yank it out, this magnet was stuck to the bottom of the tray. I had fun getting it off of there...

-David

[amigadave]

Strange, I have worked on several A4000d's and never noticed such a magnet there.  There is a donut magnet that has the wires to the front LED's are looped through twice between the front of the metal case and the plastic front case cover.

I would not want a strong magnet near my Mother Board.

[Linchpin]

Isnt the ring a "Ferrite ring" (sp)?

Sonething to do with minimizing interference iirc..

[vic20owner]

I think that magnet most definately does not belong there.  Probably a "fix" by someone who didn't know any better.

[KThunder]

you found my magnet!  :-D  kidding it probably isnt supposed to be there. magnets cant harm anything on the motherboard unless they are conductive and cause a short. it would take a hugely powerful magnet to affect the harddrive though the case and even a floppy can only be damaged if you pressed it right on to the disk surface and moved it. but probably anything else would too by scratching the surface.
it is probably fine to keep it in the case if you really wanted to, but if it moves at all (like if you drop the case) and shorts something out it would be bad.

[BadBigBen]

it would take a hugely powerful magnet to affect the harddrive though the case and even a floppy can only be damaged if you pressed it right on to the disk surface and moved it.

NOT TRUE... My Friend... back in the old days, when I couldn't format a FD, I used to lay them on top of my Stereo Speakers to erase them, or better said to randomize the Magnetic poling on the surface of them... and that had nothing to do with SCRATCHING at all...

about the HD, I am not too sure, as some powerful magnets are in the case them selves... the ones to move the arms... so there you may be right...

[amigadave]

@LinchpiN,  You are probably right.  I figured it was to limit interference, but it does look like a magnet.

[dnelsonfl]

Thanks for all the comments. I'll definitely NOT be putting the magnet back in the case when I reassemble it.  :-D

[koaftder]

BadBigBen wrote:

it would take a hugely powerful magnet to affect the harddrive though the case and even a floppy can only be damaged if you pressed it right on to the disk surface and moved it.

NOT TRUE... My Friend... back in the old days, when I couldn't format a FD, I used to lay them on top of my Stereo Speakers to erase them, or better said to randomize the Magnetic poling on the surface of them... and that had nothing to do with SCRATCHING at all...

about the HD, I am not too sure, as some powerful magnets are in the case them selves... the ones to move the arms... so there you may be right...

Thats pretty wierd man. I remember as a kid, doing all kinds of horrible things to 5 1/4 disks. I remeber pulling the magnetic disc out of it's case, srumpling it up somewhat, and rubbing a magnet over it a good bit. Then i put it back together and blue max still loaded on my c64.

Interestingly enough, monitors emit a pretty strong magnetic field around the case when the degaussing coil turns on. Ive never had discs go bad from sitting on/around monitors. I have amiga several discs from 1985, and they all still work fine.