Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

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.

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

Well, I happen to be a giant computer nerd...I'll help if I can, when we find out what the problem is.

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

Do you people regularly operate on live computers?

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

It doesn't need to be live, Fyron. Just bad luck in where the spark hits.

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

Oh heck yeah, Fyron http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

What I really like to do is put on long fuzzy socks, shuffle across the long shag carpeting in my living room, insert my p3n0r in the electric socket, and then grab the motherboard with both hands...

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

Well, yeah...no point in operating on dead ones unless you're performing an autopsy.

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

"Screwdriver"
"Wrench"
"Pliers"

"Oops"

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

People don't realize that just walking across a carpet on a dry winter day, you can build up several thousand volts easily. Even the tiniest of sparks (from your hand to the doorknob perhaps) carry at least 500 volts. A spark travelling across a 0.5 mm gap requires 2850 volts. (Yes, that's 1/2 millimeter.)

Static electricity *can definitely* damage electrical components regardless of whether they are 'live' or not.

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

i suddenly feel dirty, knowing that someone else might be doing this at the same time as me. assuming my local socket is clean, im pretty sure diseases cant be transmitted over our electrical backbone, but the thought is still creepy.

Re: capnq is in trouble, and may need our help
 

I had no idea you sick-o’s were doing this too. Now I have to call my doctor and schedule a full checkup. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif