OT: Static First
Steve Ackman
around inside computers, changing out/upgrading
hardware etc. Always touched the case before
touching any card/module whether it's already inside,
or sitting on the table.
Last night I was putting the side cover back on the
server machine when, ZAP, a bolt shot out at least a
quarter inch from my index finger to the computer's
case. Killed the CPU right quick... as evidenced by
my ssh connection being killed, no ssh could be
reestablished, and a command to reboot was refused.
Fans came on, indicator LEDs came on, but not a pixel
on the monitor.
Oh well. It's been on my roundtuit list for awhile
to swap out that old VIA-750Mhz w/512MB RAM running
FreeBSD 7.0 for the "new" one: a VIA 1.5 Ghz w/2GB RAM
which I was going to get all set up with FBSD 7.2 before
putting it into service. As it is, I just swapped a
line in rc.conf for the ethernet, deleted the old
Xorg.conf file (onboard Chrome video on the new MB
doesn't like a conf file for the old addon Matrox card),
and everything works the same as before, except leafnode
serves up the new headers twice as fast as before.
That's nice.
Anyway. I guess the moral of the story is "grounding"
yourself to the computer case isn't such a good idea on
those really, REALLY static-filled days.
--
☯☯
Wes
> Anyway. I guess the moral of the story is "grounding"
>yourself to the computer case isn't such a good idea on
>those really, REALLY static-filled days.
What is the %RH where you are working?
Wes
--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller
cavelamb
It's not surprising.
Looking at the weather map, it's damned cold and *dry* almost
everywhere.
Get thee a humidifier before fixing anything else...
:)
--
Richard Lamb
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cavelamb/
"The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power
to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour...
Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still."
Wild_Bill
sensitive assemblies.
Some type of Static-Gaurd liquid sprayed around on the chair, bench area,
floor, clothing, hair and shoes can reduce static buildup. Avoid creating
any sparks for a while afer this product is applied (don't hose yourself
down, then ligh a smoke or candle, etc).
Avoid polyester fabric clothing.
Wear a satic dissipating wrist or ankle strap.
Humidify the work area to a safe level.
--
WB
.........
metalworking projects
www.kwagmire.com/metal_proj.html
"Steve Ackman" <st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhki88e...@sorceror.wizard.dyndns.org...
Jim Wilkins
wrote:
> In <fq-dnf9dOqWJsNTWnZ2dnUVZ_rVi4...@earthlink.com>, on Sat, 09 Jan 2010
> 19:27:42 -0600, cavelamb, cavel...@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> >> Anyway. I guess the moral of the story is "grounding"
> >> yourself to the computer case isn't such a good idea on
> >> those really, REALLY static-filled days.
Boss comes in the CAD room holding a hard-to-get sample of a new
device I'm drawing the schematic for. He starts explaining something
and points to the device symbol on the 21" glass CRT screen and
SNAP,
the component in his hand is fried by its image on the screen. Those
big CRT monitors built up a very substantial charge on the face of the
glass.
At least I had a mechanical sample for the PC board layout. It was a
difficult board, 1.5 GHz all over it.
jsw
Leon Fisk
Wrote in <slrnhki88e...@sorceror.wizard.dyndns.org>
<snip>
>Last night I was putting the side cover back on the
>server machine when, ZAP, a bolt shot out at least a
>quarter inch from my index finger to the computer's
>case. Killed the CPU right quick...
Last Monday I thought I would print out a few pages for a
friend that doesn't have net access. Hooked up my printer
(normally setting off to the side, out of the way) and then
hit the power strip for the computer. ZAP! Sounded just like
a fuse blew, but the pilot light was still on for the outlet
strip. After I collected my thoughts, tried powering up the
computer. Keyboard error, no mouse, no serial port, no
parallel port... but the hard drive, video, keyboard sorta
work. Wasn't a bad keyboard, mouse, serial connection
either.
I'm an old electronics tech... pulled the motherboard out,
nothing obvious, was hoping to find a burned/open trace for
signal ground maybe...
Ended up getting my old 486DX40 out running Win3.1x. It will
have to do till I figure out something else. Think I'm going
to try getting something used that I can try putting Umbunto
on or some other form of Linux. I've been putting off
learning Linux, time to get on with it I guess. I've been
using a lot of Unix type programs/ports for years now
anyway.
Big ZAPS! really aren't much fun :(
--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI | Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email
whit3rd
wrote:
> Last night I was putting the side cover back on the
> server machine when, ZAP, a bolt shot out at least a
> quarter inch from my index finger to the computer's
> case. Killed the CPU right quick...
Not likely. MOS inputs are somewhat sensitive, but the
inputs of your CPU chip are all connected to driver outputs
that are very capable of absorbing surges (if you UNPLUG the
CPU, this circumstance changes).
And think on the circumstance: a spark from your finger
to the CASE? That isn't gonna do anything to items
inside the case, at all.
Winston
(...)
> Ended up getting my old 486DX40 out running Win3.1x. It will
> have to do till I figure out something else. Think I'm going
> to try getting something used that I can try putting Umbunto
> on or some other form of Linux. I've been putting off
> learning Linux, time to get on with it I guess.
http://www.ubuntu.com/
http://www.linuxcnc.org/content/view/2/4/lang,english/
Works great!
--Winston
--
You taught me tolerance, kindness, generosity and optimism.
By example, yes?
Winston
> In <hidsa...@news6.newsguy.com>, on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:24:11 -0800,
>
>> http://www.ubuntu.com/
>> http://www.linuxcnc.org/content/view/2/4/lang,english/
>>
>> Works great!
>
> User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.23 (Windows/20090812)
Busted!
I use Ubuntu to control the mill and on SWMBO's notebook.
XP on this machine because I use Rhino3D every day.
So there. :)
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh
news:slrnhkmttg...@sorceror.wizard.dyndns.org:
> Seems to me that if a proximate styrofoam cup can
> kill a semiconductor, a proximate discharge of a few
> thousand volts might be able to have some negative
> effect... but if you say it can't happen, I guess it
> must not have.
>
For years I was in the business of running a repair service for computers
on an industrial scale. Our clients were medical billing offices.
I can cite a particular instance where a woman discharged to/from a metal
printer cabinet. The spark ended up "eating" the printer, the terminal
adjacent to it, and in the computer 40' away, the I/O boards for both the
printer and the terminal. The only common paths among all those
components were the chassis (protective) grounds.
It not only could happen, it happens every day.
LLoyd
Jim Stewart
The only way that could happen is if one or more
of the protective grounds were missing or not
implemented properly.
Leon Fisk
Wrote in <slrnhkl3fm...@sorceror.wizard.dyndns.org>
<snip>
>Was this a static discharge from you to the power
>strip, or some unknown ZAP from powering it up?
Some sort of power-up problem. I've had the printer hooked
up numerous times, but can't recall having the printer
plugged in (to a different outlet via a three-prong adapter)
and data cable hooked up before powering up the computers
strip. The three prong cheater really shouldn't matter,
unless there is something not-quite-right somewhere :) I'll
have to check into that aspect, thought before trying that
combo again.
The computer has had some strange quirks powering up right
along, I kinda got use to them though seeing they didn't
seem to change any. Haven't gotten around to seeing if the
printer still works or not. It does power-up, but haven't
hooked it to a known good parallel port yet. Doesn't really
matter, in all my years working on electronic stuff I've yet
to figure out a way to undo a zap or put the magic smoke
back.
It was just an old Compaq Presario, AMD-K6 500mhz running
WinNT4 and 98 (for USB). A friend gave it to me several
years ago for doing a few favors. But it WAS working pretty
well for the stuff I putz around with. Fastest computer I've
ever used.
<snip>
> From an Aug web page of mine:
> This VIA micro-ATX motherboard w/ integrated 1.5 Ghz
> C7-D CPU was $10.50 through eBay...
<snip>
I'll probably try resurrecting it somehow after I pout for
awhile. Got way too much stuff on the hard drive I don't
want to part with and I know that part is still working
okay. Your fix/build is cool if you have enough info and
parts to scrounge from. I'm just a one man show anymore with
very little budget. I already have enough white-elephants
around that sounded like they should work but didn't quite.
We have a big electronics recycler in town that has a Thrift
store. I'm going to try stopping by and see what kind of
stuff they may have when I get a chance. Good a place as any
to start I guess.
>Ubuntu or more specifically Kubuntu is generally
>considered the easiest transition for Windows users.
>I hate KDE though, so put Xubuntu on my wife's computer.
> PCLinuxOS is also very user friendly. I don't like
>it as well (comes with KDE), but it's the distribution
>that "just worked" on the wireless card in our Acer
>laptop.
I'm pretty comfortable working from a prompt. Just have to
find/learn a bunch of new utilities, tools, proggies to get
back to what I am accustomed to being able to do.
Umbunto seems to have a pretty good following right now and
seems like as good a place as any to start. Almost seems to
be too many ~Linux choices nowadays, but I enjoy tinkering
for the most part (shrug).
> I first heard about it around '93, but it wasn't
>until '97 that I had a computer that could run it.
>After all, you needed FOUR MEGABYTES of RAM...
>(Anyway, I was pretty happy with PCGEOS at the time.)
I heard about Linux around the same time but didn't really
have any reason to try it. This machine (486DX40 16mb RAM)
would have worked well back then. You really wouldn't want
to know how many $$$$ I have invested in this old clunker
through the years. Probably why I still have it :) Even the
clock is keeping up again now that it gets powered up most
every day. Awful slow though and the OS is far from being
stable.
Just though you might take heart in knowing that someone
else was having a bad week with their computer too.
technomaNge
>
> I first heard about it around '93, but it wasn't
> until '97 that I had a computer that could run it.
> After all, you needed FOUR MEGABYTES of RAM...
> (Anyway, I was pretty happy with PCGEOS at the time.)
>
Was that the GEOS that had the banner program?
I've looked for a replacement many times, nothing
is as good.
technomaNge
--
Due to anticipated high turnout in 2010's election,
the Electorial College has scheduled:
Nov. 1, 2010 All Independents vote.
Nov. 2, 2010 All Republicans vote.
Nov. 3, 2010 All Democrats vote.
whit3rd
wrote:
> In <c458db54-29d3-46f2-91ea-806d74f84...@d7g2000vbs.googlegroups.com>, on
> Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:37:14 -0800 (PST), whit3rd, whit...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > On Jan 9, 4:35 pm, Steve Ackman <st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com>
> > wrote:
>
> >> Last night I was putting the side cover back on the
> >> server machine when, ZAP, a bolt shot out at least a
> >> quarter inch from my index finger to the computer's
> >> case. Killed the CPU right quick...
>
> > And think on the circumstance: a spark from your finger
> > to the CASE?
>
>
> > That isn't gonna do anything to items
> > inside the case, at all.
>
> What are the odds that the computer would die at JUST
> that moment? The computer had been running 24/7 for
> 8 years, and it picked that moment to die.
You had the case open, were probably manipulating the
board and parts somehow; a bit of stress on a weak solder joint or
a shifting of some bit of conductive debris so it touched something
critical, are two other ways it could have 'picked that moment'.
In the late 1970s, the newfangled MOS was determined to have
sensitivity to small charges that could kill it during handling or
even
storage. In the 80s, lots of redesigns happened, to add protection.
In the 90s, unprotected designs became very rare. Fully-assembled
circuits (all the potentially sensitive inputs connected to
insensitive
conductive output circuits) aren't likely to fail due to static, not
today.
Winston
(...)
> At least you didn't say something stupid like,
> "It couldn't happen."
>
Sung to the tune of _Barber's Song_ from Cervantes' _Man of La Mancha_
Oh I am a little techy and I go my merry waaaay
With my meter and my diags I can always earn my paaaay
Though smoothness describes your process flow, you'll need me soon I knooow
On a lark you'll shuffle and spark and cause your Pentium to blooow
GD&R --Winston
Gunner Asch
<st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
>> Think I'm going
>> to try getting something used that I can try putting Umbunto
>> on or some other form of Linux.
>
> Ubuntu or more specifically Kubuntu is generally
>considered the easiest transition for Windows users.
>I hate KDE though, so put Xubuntu on my wife's computer.
> PCLinuxOS is also very user friendly. I don't like
>it as well (comes with KDE), but it's the distribution
>that "just worked" on the
If you want a FAST and easy dual boot windows/linux install...try Mint
Linux.
Works great!
Its what Im using at the moment..with Agent under Wine <G>
Gunner
"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the
means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not
making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of
it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different
countries, that the more public provisions were made for the
poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became
poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the
more they did for themselves, and became richer." -- Benjamin
Franklin, /The Encouragement of Idleness/, 1766
Gunner Asch
<st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
>In <3lv6l51jdcdi0lnu2...@4ax.com>, on Sun, 17 Jan 2010
>13:19:28 -0800, Gunner Asch, gun...@lightspeed.net wrote:
>> On Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:33:14 -0700, Steve Ackman
>><st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
>
>>> Ubuntu or more specifically Kubuntu is generally
>>>considered the easiest transition for Windows users.
>>>I hate KDE though, so put Xubuntu on my wife's computer.
>>> PCLinuxOS is also very user friendly. I don't like
>>>it as well (comes with KDE), but it's the distribution
>>>that "just worked" on the
>
>
>> If you want a FAST and easy dual boot windows/linux install...try Mint
>> Linux.
>
> What's windows?
>
>> Works great!
>
> I'm happy for you.
>
>> Its what Im using at the moment..with Agent under Wine <G>
>
> What's Wine?
>
>;-)
>
> Anyway, I've never owned windoze, and never will.
>If $IT requires Windows, I don't require $IT.
An Apple fanatic is a terrible thing to watch, when he starts asking
questions 95% of the rest of the people already know.
Rest easy old chap..keep on taking the bite out of the apple and no one
will bother you.
Wes
>> Anyway, I've never owned windoze, and never will.
>>If $IT requires Windows, I don't require $IT.
>
>An Apple fanatic is a terrible thing to watch, when he starts asking
>questions 95% of the rest of the people already know.
>
>Rest easy old chap..keep on taking the bite out of the apple and no one
>will bother you.
Steve runs *nix.
Wes
--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller
Gunner Asch
<st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
>In <e9t7l5phi3btb98a9...@4ax.com>, on Sun, 17 Jan 2010
>21:45:31 -0800, Gunner Asch, gun...@lightspeed.net wrote:
>> On Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:05:34 -0700, Steve Ackman
>><st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
>>
>>>In <3lv6l51jdcdi0lnu2...@4ax.com>, on Sun, 17 Jan 2010
>>>13:19:28 -0800, Gunner Asch, gun...@lightspeed.net wrote:
>
>>>> If you want a FAST and easy dual boot windows/linux install...try Mint
>>>> Linux.
>>>
>>> What's windows?
>>>
>>>> Works great!
>>>
>>> I'm happy for you.
>>>
>>>> Its what Im using at the moment..with Agent under Wine <G>
>>>
>>> What's Wine?
>>>
>>>;-)
>>>
>>> Anyway, I've never owned windoze, and never will.
>>>If $IT requires Windows, I don't require $IT.
>>
>> An Apple fanatic is a terrible thing to watch, when he starts asking
>> questions 95% of the rest of the people already know.
>>
>> Rest easy old chap..keep on taking the bite out of the apple and no one
>> will bother you.
>
> What apple?
Humm..so you dont use Microsoft, you dont use Linux and you dont use
Apple. Sun? Smoke signals?
Gunner Asch
>Gunner Asch <gun...@lightspeed.net> wrote:
>
>>> Anyway, I've never owned windoze, and never will.
>>>If $IT requires Windows, I don't require $IT.
>>
>>An Apple fanatic is a terrible thing to watch, when he starts asking
>>questions 95% of the rest of the people already know.
>>
>>Rest easy old chap..keep on taking the bite out of the apple and no one
>>will bother you.
>
>Steve runs *nix.
>
>Wes
Evidently not...not if he can post the following....
>
>> If you want a FAST and easy dual boot windows/linux install...try Mint
>> Linux.
>
> What's windows?
>
>> Works great!
>
> I'm happy for you.
>
>> Its what Im using at the moment..with Agent under Wine <G>
>
> What's Wine?
Gunner Asch
<st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
> Where on Usenet did you ever get the idea I don't
>use Linux? Certainly not in this thread. Certainly
>not from my headers (hint: headers would have been the
>easiest place to check).
>
> My desktop machine is Debian w/XFCE.
> My wife's desktop runs Xubuntu (mentioned upthread I
>believe).
> The server has FreeBSD -- for sure mentioned upthread
>(w/blackbox wm).
> The laptop sports PCLinuxOS (w/KDE).
From your obvious ignorance of Wine and what you posted.
Sorry if you didnt make yourself clear.
Shrug
Gunner Asch
<st...@SNIP-THIS.twoloonscoffee.com> wrote:
>In <kej8l51bjdn4bcrvq...@4ax.com>, on Mon, 18 Jan 2010
>04:03:27 -0800, Gunner Asch, gun...@lightspeed.net wrote:
>> On Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:28:43 -0500, Wes <clu...@lycos.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Steve runs *nix.
>
>> Evidently not...not if he can post the following....
>>
>>>
>>>> If you want a FAST and easy dual boot windows/linux install...try Mint
>>>> Linux.
>>>
>>> What's windows?
>
>This means: I do not have windows, never have, never
>will.
>
>>>> Works great!
>>>
>>> I'm happy for you.
>
>This means: If you are happy with windows polluting
>your Linux hard drive, I'm glad that rebooting all the
>time works for you.
>
>>>> Its what Im using at the moment..with Agent under Wine <G>
>>>
>>> What's Wine?
>
>This means: I have no windows applications, so have
>even less use for Wine than I would have for windows.
>
>>> ;-)
>
>The winkie means: This is all in good fun. Obviously
>I know what Windows is. I know what Wine is. I
>*thought* you would have picked up on that easily
>enough without the clarifications.
>
> Evidently not. :-/
AH! Sorry..I overlooked the Winkie. Mea Culpa!!!
As for needing Windows/Wine...there are still programs for Windows that
one cannot find in Linux..though that list is growing shorter daily.
Im currently running Mint Linux but using Wine to run Forte Agent, which
I far far far prefer to any other Usenet reader. And Ive tried them
all.. Shrug..for 12 yrs in fact.
But good on you!!! And sorry about having missed the winkie!
Gerald Miller
Pencil, paper and USPS stamp?
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada