What is the purpose of the holes marked "Do Not Cover" on hard drives?
Problem
On many hard drives, there's a text warning to "not cover this hole", sometimes adding that doing so will void the warranty. What is the purpose of this hole and why would covering it cause damage or increase the likelihood of drive failure? (Image source)
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Fix for: What is the purpose of the holes marked "Do Not Cover" on hard drives?
It 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 diaphragm 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 would cause problems and increase the likelihood of catastrophic failures. This system works in much the same …
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