The Purpose of the "Do Not Cover This Hole" on Hard Drives
You have have ever wondered the purpose of the "Do not cover this hole" on hard drives then we have the answer for you.
On many hard drives, there’s a stern text warning to “not cover this hole”, sometimes adding that doing so will void the warranty. But what is its purpose?
The hole allows for equalization of air pressure between the inside and outside of the drive. While it is not a complete pass-through of outside air into the HDD internals, there is a filter inside the hole that allows the air pressure to equalize. If the drive were completely sealed, operating at altitudes significantly different from those the drive was manufactured and sealed at, it would cause problems and increase the likelihood of catastrophic failures. This system works in much the same way as the Eustachian tubes that allow our ears internal pressures to equalize, preventing the explosion of our ear drums.
More explanations are available from the How To Geek.
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