Poll: Have you ever fried anything in your computer with static?

[Joony]

i haven't i left stuff out on the carpet and it didn't fry...

 

[Shmorq]

Me neither. In fact, I use the Swiffer (the static thing that picks up dust) to clean the outside and inside of my computer.

 

[Salvador]

I just think the static thing is a bunch of Propaganda perpetrated by the anti static mat and wrist band industry.

Seriously, I don't use anything, but I do ground myself to the PC chassis and make sure the computer is plugged into the wall, but not on when I'm working on it.

I haven't fried anything, but I don't work on computers all day either.

Sal

 

[HansXP]

I haven't, and I've actually laid several components out on the carpet. I do always ground myself before I touch anything, though.

 

[vegetation]

Static is something very dependent on weather conditions. Here where I live, the humidity is so high year-round there is no need to ever worry about static.

 

[DisposableHero]

ive seen this video in my A+ cert class... and they showd this chip being tested in a machine which said it was good... then the chip was touchecd my the host and retested... guess what.. it was dead.. lol.. dunno how truthful this is but just a story of mine.. lol..

i usualy touch the metal chasis of the case before i touch anything

 

[rommel]

no but i am always careful when handling stuff...i make sure to touch the case before i jsut get to it...especially in the winter

 

[DDad]

Static- No
Lightning- yes

 

[heffe734]

i remember your story DDAD...that was crazy...LOL @ SALVADOR. I got some wrist wraps free from a friend today. However, don't plan on wearing them...kinda looks fruity...they are pink...if i only got a matching antistatic headband! YEAHHH BABEE!

 

[Boonesmi]

another vote for "never"

 

[Jeff7]

Personally, no. Seen the effects, yes. A friend of mine had just walked across a carpet, then for whatever reason touched the memory area of the motherboard. The CPU and memory were toasted; don't remember what happened to the motherboard.

 

[mpancha]

I've never fried anything w/ static, but static does fry computers. at work, this dumbass found a stick of RAM that was in a box, under a pile of boxes, and fried the computer.

 

[bjc112]

nope not here, i was going to buy a wrist band, but i figured it was a waste of about 10 bucs!

I just touch the power supply, before i do somethin!

Bryan

 

[BA]

I've killed speakers.

Several years ago, my mom took out our mouse, IO/controller card, and 486 MB just by touching the mouse.

 

[6]

never - hopefully never will

 

[imustbecrazy]

I've been lucky so far, of course, PC parts usually become obsolete so fast anyway.
In otherwords, if you took a sound card out 1000 times, static may be an issue. For me, I disreguard any part put in a computer after 999 times.

Of course, for me, I'm more likely to have static damage from my cat rubbing
against my case. I'm hardware savy and still can not figure out how to screw in the
ATX case cover on.

Yes, Mac's will let you see the boring electronics thru a flavored see-thru plastic case.
Anandee'ers, never have a sealed computer.

 

[magicslax]

here's another never for you

i've had plenty of oportunities: carpet, compulsive reconfiguration and upgrade disorder, extended duration open case, etc.

 

[Whitecloak]

never!
i dont have carpeting in the room where my pc is and i always ground myself before opening up the case

 

[Renob]

I thought static problems caused thing do die sooner then they should??

 

[Salvador]

<< ive seen this video in my A+ cert class... and they showd this chip being tested in a machine which said it was good... then the chip was touchecd my the host and retested... guess what.. it was dead.. lol.. dunno how truthful this is but just a story of mine.. lol.. >>



Did you happen to catch who paid for the video? It's probably someone from the anti static mat and wrist strap industry. I'm telling ya, they've got to protect their livelihood.

I think if you use some common sense, you will not fry anything. We do get static in the winter here in Chicago and you have to watch it, but if you touch the metal in the case before you touch any sensitive component, you should be fine. No need for wrist straps and anti static mats IMHO.

Sheesh! Maybe I shouldn't have said that? Wait! Is my email address visible? I hope nobody from the &quot;industry&quot; tracks me down. I don't want to be a marked man.

Sal

 

[ProviaFan]

No, I've not fried anything; I'm always careful to touch the case to ground myself for a while before sticking my hands in there.

 

[CalebTG]

Man, why do I have to be the first in the thread?

metal screw driver onto running HD.
Zap
Sizzle
Smoke
Sh#t
Power switch
cry

was only a 1gig when 15 giggers were new.

 

[TunaBoo]

<< Man, why do I have to be the first in the thread?

metal screw driver onto running HD.
Zap
Sizzle
Smoke
Sh#t
Power switch
cry

was only a 1gig when 15 giggers were new. >>



That would be called electric current and stupidity.

 

[MplsBob]

For years I had handled PC components with near total disregard for static electricity.

Then-

My Seagate tape drive bellied up.

I ordered a replacement unit. It didn't work and I did an RMA.

The second unit didn't work either. I did a second RMA.

A few hours before the third unit showed up, I drew a static spark when I touched my computer case. I am convinced that normal movement on the space-age fabric on my chair produced the charge.

For the third tape unit I observed anti-static protocol. My unit was powered down but still plugged-in (so that it didn't lose its ground connection) and I wore one of the wrist-strap grounding units with the clip attached to the case. The unit installed and worked right from the start.

This also would also explain why I had experienced a strange pattern of failures over the years with Seagate tape units on a number of machines.

I have come to believe that Seagate's tape units are particularly vulnerable to damage from static electricity.

Seagate builds its tape units with no cover over one of its circuit boards.

Final thought. Most items seem to cope pretty well, but there are those that may not.

So I now use the wrist grounding-strap all the time when working on computers.

 

[bacillus]

fortunately no!
hopefully never.