I'm a bit of an armchair astronomer so I follow the various astronomy
groups... Astronomers who work at the high altitude observatories
around the world use laptops all the time for data logging, capturing
pictures off the telescope camera, controlling the telescope, etc...
These observatories are above 10,000 feet... The astronomers have no
hard drive problems I am aware of... The OP is repeating old wives
tales without any real knowledge...

denny