Novice

Odian

What steps should be taken when ya want to put new hard ware in,like getting static away? use normal scree drivers? take pc off the floor??


Thanks

Odian

b4k4^2

Static: touch the metal chasis of your case
Usually philps/cross head screws
Don't have to take pc off the floor, though you are less like to trip over it if it's on the kitchen table.
Just use common-sense really, don't emearse in water. Don't install new hardware when pc is on and plugged in.

seamus

For static, there's tonnes of things you can do. As was said, ground yourself. You could also buy an anti-static wriststrap which keeps you permanently grounded, but usually they only come in PC repair kits which cost around €25. What I do is leave the PC plugged in (but turned off obviously) while I work on it. That does the same thing. Although if you are afraid of having it hooked up live, or you do a lot of work on your comp, you can alter a lead so the plug doesn't have the live wire connected, but that's a pain in the ass.

As for screwdrivers, all the screws you will need to touch are a phillips head. Some may be the other (neghead?) but it's rare. If you can't open it with one of the two screwdrivers, dont try!!! You're not meant to be in there!!

Take it off the floor and unhook all leads (except power, see above). It's easiest to work on a PC either standing up, or when it's a comfortable height for you to get at it when sitting.

Dr. Loon

You shuldn't really work on a PC if it's sitting on a carpeted floor, 'cos the static will build up like a muthafúck!! Just make sure to ground yourself, and then tuck in with a hammer and chisel

Gerry

Its important to remember that modern motherboards have power flowing through them even when off. This is called standby current, and means that you could damage your machine by adding/removing parts even when you think the power is off. If your machine has a power switch on the psu at the back, switch that off and that will stop any power going to the machine, while still earthing it. If you don't have this extra switch, plug the power plug for your machine into the socket upside down (ie only the earth pin is plugged in).

po0k

Another way aropund it would be to get hold of some of that green/yellow earthing wire and affix it to a radiator and your PC.
Or plug it into a socket witha wall switch. They only cut off the live, not the earth I believe.

Spunog UIE

Just wonderin has anyone, anywhere ever done any damage through static, i mean, wtf, ya'd have to be some dumbass thats been rollin around on the ground like a dirty dog for a week... ?! well have ya?

seamus

Well, hand in the air, I fried a floppy IDE once. I had just gotten out of the car (where you build up tonnes of static) and then went about fixing a comp, frying said IDE controller.

Kegser

A few general pointers to avoid frying any componants with static electricity....

Before you touch any componants inside your machine, touch your hand off the chassis.

Try and keep one hand on the chassis while touching and stroking your memory sticks.

Don't rub your clothes together, or stroke your beard, or run your hands through your hair.

Keep an anti-static bag handy if at all possible and any componants removed should be placed on or inside it.

Don't wear those dodgy fluffy slippers you're mammy bought you when you were eleven and shuffle over your carpet.

Kegser

And yes, I've seen lots of things damaged by static. Generally it's anything that has ROM or RAM chips as they are especially sensitive to any abnormal discharges. And yes that does include donkey semen.

I've never seen anything actually blow up through static, the damage is generally minimal and unnoticable until you try and make the thing work.

However, playing around with the ground and voltage leads on an ATX PSU can indeed blow stuff up. Great fun.

Gerry

I've fried a 128 meg dimm, I think it was from being left lying around rather than handling it. Annoying though.

Odian

a mate of mine was running a p600 i think,he had probs running his GeForce gts so he tried to change the voltage on his power supply,dumb ass left the thing still plugged in! he nearly killed himself! blew his power supply but the mobo was left undamaged!

marauder

I received a 256Mb DIMM in the post in an envelope filled with those poylstyrene packing balls. No bag or anything on the DIMM, just loose inside.
I wasn't even going to bother trying it but I did and it worked! And its still working a year later.....

Dr. Loon

I saw a mate of mine blow his motherboard through static... obviously just from shuffling around on the carpet in his socks, and not grounding himself before he started working.... it was hilarious....

Typedef

Once I nuked some guys mobo via esd, granted I was working in Gateway at the time and most days had at least 4 people remove the cover of their pc and mess about with the inside which I must have done thousands of times without some fool esding the mobo, but fortunately for me I was having the guy remove a card he had added himself, so I didn't have to replace the fscked mobo haha.
More horror stories.
Once I got into a 45 minute argument with a fella who had his pc open but was refusing to reinsert a sound card. Eventually the fella agreed to reinsert the card and assured me that he was a carpenter and that he was proficient with tools etc. So he managed to insert the card. I said "Ok just switch on the system", "Switch it on?" he said, "It already is switched on, I can hear the sound now, it's perfect", "Did you insert that sound card while the pc was on sir?", "What was it supposed to be switched off?".
I josh you not.