What kind of precautions do you take while installing new hardware?

[Nocturnal]

Do you wear that anti-static wrist band? Do you ground yourself by touching a your metal case before touching your ram/components?

 

[MarkFahey]

I touch my grounded case before handling anything! I mean ANYTHING! Also right foot in a pail of water with left hand holding a bare 220 volt AC line helps a bit...

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Do you wear that anti-static wrist band? Do you ground yourself by touching a your metal case before touching your ram/components?

I put on my Sponge Bob boxers and proceed to do all of the work on a carpeted floor. I haven't used a wrist strap since 1998 IIRC.

 

[Auric]

I make a burnt offering to the gods and then kick myself in the balls as penance.

 

[PCMarine]

Originally posted by: Auric
I make a burnt offering to the gods and then kick myself in the balls as penance.

Hahaha, I ground myself before touching any components.

 

[nolovenohope]

I don't take any precautions such as grounding or whatever. And haven't had a problem since I started working on/playing with PCs since 98 = \

 

[d00m]

Well, I touch the case. Now that I think of it, I have to touch the case in order work in it. Anyway, a static charge unloading itself from you onto the equipment and actually damagin something is a one in a million... erm.... at least a one in a hundred.

 

[Davegod]

wearing slippers on heavy carpet floor, fleecy jumper, chair that regularily gives me shocks from static... half heartedly touch the case chassis occasionally, although kind of hard not to anyway. none of this being pansy with pcb either, they do take a fair bit of abuse. no i havent killed anything yet and yes i probably will regret it at some point, but tbh otherwise youre there all day anyway and things held too carefully tend to get dropped.

oh yeah but DONT place pcb's on top of anti static bag, they work on the thatfrenchphysicistbloke-cage principle, theyre specifically made for any electric current to pass on the outside of the bag.

 

[novice]

I try to remember to touch the case before I start grabbing stuff, but I also figure if I fry something then I have no choice but to replace whatever it was with something faster. At least that is what I tell my wife.

 

[optimistic]

Originally posted by: Auric
I make a burnt offering to the gods and then kick myself in the balls as penance.

I like this one hte best!

 

[KyleMac]

I couldn't get the G400 out of my mum's mobo once. Picked up the whole case by the card and span it around. All fixed.

 

[Smilin]

I don't use a strap that often but I do touch myself.


hehe - seriously I just touch the case sometimes.

 

[Anubis]

i dont take any and never have. i guess im lucky

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I basically just touch water and then those shiny silver holes in the wall at the same time.

My dad is crazy, he'll just take PCI cards in and out while the computer is on, I thought he was crazy but now I know he wasn't. He wasn't doing this out of stupidity because he went to college in electrical engineering and stuff but anyway... its still crazy

 

[jagr10]

There really isn't a way to avoid touching the inside of the case when doing any hardware installations or removals. I don't use a wrist band and i definitely don't work in an antistatic environment, but everything works fine.

 

[brigden]

Generally speaking, I put my fleece sweater and slippers in the dryer, minus static sheet, and put them on as soon as they come out. I then rub my feet on the shag carpet for about half an hour. I then proceed to rub a balloon over my hair and then immediately rip out components while the PC is still plugged in.

I do this while eating potato chips.

 

[Rogozhin]

I throw the computer out the window and then go outside and pick up the parts that have dislodged themselves. Usually it's the part i need to replace.


Rogo

 

[Schadenfroh]

i slowly open the retail box, reading the contents as i go. as soon as i break the seal on my sweet new baby, i smell her. Then i spraymyself down with cold anti static spray, ground myself and slap it in.

 

[magomago]

Nothing much really... I wash my hands and then put a peice on cloth on the ground and open up the computer case and plop in whatever I need to do.

 

[clicknext]

Nope, I don't do anything. Since I need to touch my case to open it, I'm grounded every time. I work on carpet floor, though, and havn't had anything happen.

 

[John P]

Sometimes I will wrap myself in aluminum foil (like a mummy) and ground myself with an extension chord to the nearest electrical outlet. (That extra plug thingy 3rd prong is a ground right?) Haven't had any problems yet, but I have never been able to get any of my computers to fire up.

 

[draggoon01]

when installing heatsink, i now place a magazine next to socket to protect motherboard. i must have swapped/installed heatsinks at least 20 times, but on the 21st last year the screwdriver slipped into the motherboard. it was so sad to think i lost a motherboard in 5 seconds. at least it was ecs board.

 

[TheCorm]

Originally posted by: Smilin
I don't use a strap that often but I do touch myself.


hehe - seriously I just touch the case sometimes.

Me too.....the 2nd thing....