Yeah it's working only if you use some special high density neodium magnets... otherwise you may only boost the speed, from 7200 to 7300... not a big deal!

Rare earth magnets work well too.

Yes, it will screw over your drive, but it doesn't actually 'erase' anything. Hard drives are actually 'set', not 'written' to. There will always be data on a drive, well almost always. Because of how data is stored, as Positive or Negative Polarity on a small magnetic spot that is very hard for it to be neutral, there basically will always be 'Some' data there.


Just if you run a magnet over your platters, assuming you don't cause a head crash, then the 'data' will resemble (and be as valuable) as a list of a few million coin-toss results.