capnq is in trouble, and may need our help

narf poit chez BOOM · #1 December 23rd, 2006, 10:45 PM

Well, I don't know much about hardware, but if I think of any relavent suggestions...

Ed Kolis · #2 December 24th, 2006, 12:33 PM

What exactly did he try to upgrade, and how did he botch it?

President_Elect_Shang · #3 December 24th, 2006, 01:30 PM

The biggest problem seems to be not grounding yourself. Maybe he did that and fired the motherboard or CPU.

Fyron · #4 December 24th, 2006, 07:23 PM

Not grounding yourself is one of those urban legends...

President_Elect_Shang · #5 December 24th, 2006, 09:21 PM

You might think it is urban legend but I have worked on enough electronics to know that it is a fact. If you don�t discharge by touching something first you could arc with an object that has a charge; such as a computer, or a floor lamp with a 20 dollar circuit card.

First hand experience.

Randallw · #6 December 24th, 2006, 11:30 PM

bugger. When I clear the dust out of my computer I sit it down on the carpet and take the side off before blowing air into it. I did the same thing when I insalled the DVD burner. Mind you the carpet is not very thick.

geoschmo · #7 December 25th, 2006, 01:05 AM

Static electricity frying pc boards is definetly not a myth. But it's one of those things that's inconsistant enough that you could go your whole life and never fry a board if you were a little lucky. Because of this many people that tinker around and build computers as a hobby think it's a myth because it's never happened to them.

Almost nobody that does it for a living things it's a myth though, because the more of them you do the better your chances of having it happen to you.