How do you start a computer outside of the case?

[hawkeye177]

Is it dangerous?

[superraton01]

absolutely not. outside of the
power supply the highest voiltage is 12v.
inside the power supply, 120v exists
and you should NOT open it up unless you
are experienced with that voltage and its dangers. by the way, a teacher of mine visited the factory where famous name-brand
computers are made, and no one uses a anti-
static wrist strap there.

[NDC]

There are two prongs where you connect the plug for the case power switch. Just get a any metal object such as a screw driver and make contact with the two prongs...

[hawkeye177]

what should I put below it.

[NDC]

Use the anti-static bag that came with the mainboard. Or just put it on any non-metallic surface such as a wooden table...

[hawkeye177]

Ok thanks

[hawkeye177]

ooops double post
sorry

[This message has been edited by hawkeye177 (edited 07-21-2001).]

[jeffpapier]

You can nail it to a post, plug in the power supply and peripherals. As long as it's not shorting out, all you have to worry about is 12 volt DC and dust. MB's are bench tested on a bench. Get it! They have some with a insulating sheet on the bottom..Your monitor is dangerous, so is the power supply, AC current, capacitors, transformers.and forty thousand volts exciting the electrons in the CRT.

[Psycho Logical]

Put it on something non-conductive like a piece of cardboard, wooden table, etc.

If at all possible, do this in a room with a tile, rather than a carpeted floor.

When inserting RAM or expansion cards, unplug the power cord from the wall socket.

[Bovon]

Hawkeye, when I work on a mainboard outside of a case, I usually get a thick telephone book, then put something like a soft, thin piece of foam on top of that..then an antistatic bag, like the one a motherboard comes in. The reason for the phone book is to elevate the board up a little above the work table top so that video cards and such can be inserted in the slots. Then connect the power supply. The pins that you need to short with a screw driver are the two pins where the switch from the front of the case usually plugs into. This switch is a momentary type of switch, and just puts a short on those two pins when the button on the case is depressed. Have your ram installed, and your video card installed and connected to a monitor, connect the floppy and hard drive, and have a go at it. I have built entire systems laying out on a book, configured everthing, then put it all in the case.

[Yar1182]

superraton01

Often times computer manufactures have other ESD measures other than straps. Such as special coated floors, ESD jackets, mats, etc. ESD straps are a pain in the ****, if you have to work on many different computers a day. For hobbyist it is very practical though

[Yar1182]

double post

[This message has been edited by Yar1182 (edited 07-22-2001).]

[Cody]

DON"T put it on the antistatic bag... it is antistatic because it will transfer a small amount of electricity (hence electrostatic)

[JohnC]

Cody'd right! The outside of the bag is coated with metal (metalized mylar) so it will "draw" away the static charge. This makes the bag conductive and it will zap your board if you yourself are charged.

I use the anti-static packing-foam (pink-stuff) on top of a wooden board. This seems to be the best for me. I worked as a technician along time ago and this is what we used. We had tried the ESD Straps, but they were a real pain. We eventually went with ESD mats.

[hawkeye177]

well I tried it yesterday. I did not put it on the bag. I just use the foam.
Thanks

[Bovon]

Cody'd right! The outside of the bag is coated with metal (metalized mylar) so it will "draw" away the static charge. This makes the bag conductive and it will zap your board if you yourself are charged.

Dang, JohnC, very good info. I was actually taught to do this at a computer shop. I never questioned or suspected the antistatic bag was different on the outside from the inside.

Many thanks...guess I have been mucho lucky..

[Yar1182]

Wow, packing foam, wood boards. You guys have a lot of really odd methods. If you work on enough computers just get an anti static mat. I picked one up for $11 at Fry's. That's what a lot of professional technicians use. If you don't have a fry's you can order one off the net I'm sure.

[lynchmob]

You can get the mat from www.cyberguys.com (http://www.cyberguys.com) for one.
A while back I looked for a mat at Office Depot and the salesdrone said when he worked at CompUSA, they used to set the mobos on a piece of tin foil!Ouch!
lynch

[Graham]

Some anti-static bags do only have the conductive layer on the inside and some are of a conductive plastic, I even saw one where the conductive layer was on the outside!!
It is a very good idea to put the card on a bag while you are moving links adding ram etc., but not while it is powered up. Wood and paper (when dry) are excellent insulators (telcos used to use paper insulated conductors in their cables). As others have said, your best bet is to get a mat.

G

[SocialChaos]

superaton01, I work at IBM and walk all around the assembly line hours a day, we use foot straps for ESD protection, you strap them around your shoe then put the conductive cable inside your sock/shoe. Used in conjunction with an ESD mat, they are nearly 100% effective. Also, despite what anybody on this forum hears, ESD bags are only effective if a card/drive is placed INSIDE the bag, if you place a card/drive on the outiside of the bag like everyone says they do when they are tinkering, that item is NOT SHIELDED. Big myth that is still apparently believed by many. And lynchmob, in reference to the guy that said they used to lay the motherboards on tin foil...easy way to lose an eye..I've seen capacitors and bios batteries explode from boards being placed on tin foil. Also know of a few other guys that got some cuts on their faces from shrapnel flying off of the boards. #1 reason I don't ask anyone at BestBuy, CompUSA, Office Depot, or Circuit City questions...bunch of underqualified apes those franchises hire...I think it's sad myself, but then again.. what do you expect for minimum wage?



[This message has been edited by SocialChaos (edited 09-03-2001).]

[Raydeo Ray]

I recommend using the "Poor Man's Electostatic Discharge Device" :
Do It Barefooted...
System Requirements:
Remove Shoes/Remove socks(if any)

Works Everytime...

"Any tool can be used as a hammer..."

[This message has been edited by Raydeo Ray (edited 09-03-2001).]

[RayH]

The box the mobo came in is a good foundation for outside starting.

[Sizume]

i had a friend who wanted to take his system out of the case and move it into anotehr but got lazy

he decided to leave it out on his desk, he put it on top of a wooden board with everything hanging around

it was like having a small air conditioner under the desk, its alright if your careful i remember when i was using his pc it was a pain turning it on and trying to open the cd-rom cuz everything kept moving around