| Warning: Remember This Before Working on Your Computer! |
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| Computers - Computers |
| Written by Kermil J. Fogarth |
| Saturday, 24 January 2009 13:15 |
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Cleaning the hardware or checking the components of your computer require opening the case which may be dangerous to its health. The printed circuit boards inside your computer all contain small devices known as Integrated Circuits (ICs). There can be millions of individual circuits in one IC and they are all susceptible to damage from static electricity. Static electricity is a major contributing factor in the failure of computers. Eliminating damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) leads to untold savings. Below are some things to remember as well as precautions to follow when working on your computer.
Cleaning the hardware or checking the components of your computer require opening the case which may be dangerous to its health. The printed circuit boards inside your computer all contain small devices known as Integrated Circuits (ICs). There can be millions of individual circuits in one IC and they are all susceptible to damage from static electricity. Static electricity is a major contributing factor in the failure of computers. Eliminating damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) leads to untold savings. Below are some things to remember as well as precautions to follow when working on your computer. 1. Unplug the power cord to the computer before opening the case to work inside of it. With the cord unplugged you are sure there is no power to the motherboard. 2. Capacitors inside the computer can store an electric charge for a short period of time after turning off and unplugging the computer so it is wise to wait a few minutes after disconnecting the power plug before actually opening the PC case. 3. A properly grounded wrist strap may be gotten from an electronics store to prevent ESD. Use one of these before touching any components inside such as hard drive, video card, memory stick, etc. If a grounded wrist strap is not available then make sure you touch a grounded object such as a metal pipe to discharge any built up static so you don't "Shock" your components. 4. To avoid damage due to static electric discharge, hold circuit boards by the edges and avoid touching the individual components, wires, chips, or capacitors. 5. Use a grounded anti-static pad or the bag the component came in to place the components on and prevent static discharge when they are removed from the computer. Avoid dropping your hard drive as it is heavy and will most likely stop working if dropped. 6. Dont ever touch the non-serviceable. When you come across labels that say "No serviceable components inside" don't take it as a challenge because its a serious statement. Remember some parts of a computer are just not meant to repaired and this label is usually seen on the power supply which isn't a good idea to try to repair. Replacement is best. Failure to protect yourself can result to injury and also damage to your computer. The most common accident is loss of data caused by a hard drive crash. Remembering these simple things will help to protect you, your hardware, your software and your precious data. About the Author: Kermil J. Fogarth has excellent free reports on Dealing with Computer Geeks, or Data Recovery Options |