High density

[LoadError]

It would be, but I'd be surprised if the different type of media generated a difference in voltage sufficient to damage any component; at least not in the short run. Still, if anyone wants to try and measure...

[norm8332]

I always thought that HD disks were made with a finer material but applied to the disk in a thinner layer that actually resulted in a lower flux density but higher granularity than DD disks. And with the higher signal level of a DD drives writing, it got over saturated leading to distortion. This, as I understand is why an HD disk formatted and written to at DD with an HD drive is readable on a DD drive but not writable on the DD drive.

[LoadError]

Unless the drive is the almighty OC-118

[norm8332]

I have a Excelerator+ I think ill try it.

Update: It didn't work on mine.

[eslapion]

Interesting. Its possible that high currents can drive some components to destruction, but probably only if it also generates higher voltage.

Transformers which are subjected to excessive loads can have their windings fail even if the voltage if always perfectly within normal values.

The windings inside a disk drive R/W head are incredibly small so I assume it doesn't take that much excessive current to destroy them. I also assume this can all occur at perfectly normal voltages.

[groepaz]

i'm just a silly programmer who has no clue of this electronic wizardry, but perhaps its still true that there is a direct relation between voltage and current, and since we can assume the resistance of the windings does not change there wont be excessive current when the voltage is fine.

AFAIK, the destruction of the R/W head can occur when, in a panic, someone tries multiple times to format an HD disk.

if anything it would happen when reading the disk, not when writing it. however, it still doesnt happen