Author Topic: Rule #1 of "Dummies Guide to Building Computers" (Read 382 times)

Vermillion · « **on:** July 01, 2002, 01:54:42 PM »

Geeezzz..... you ever been working on a system and then go *homer simpson mode* "DDOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Rule #1: Always make sure your system is unplugged before connecting or unconnecting any cables in your system.

Dummy me on Saturday afternoon was trying to hook a power connector up to a unused CD drive, so that I could get my SB Audigy driver CD out of it, when..... *CRACK* and I saw pretty blue sparks, and the system went down. Scratch one motherboard !

Won't even POST now. Tried a different powersupply and some other spares I had, nothing worked.

The crying shame of it is that I spent $28 in shipping (FedEx Overnight) on a motherboard that cost $60, so that I can be sure I get it before the long 4th of July weekend.

So I'll be offline (except at work until at least tomorrow night). Jeez its only been 2 days with no computer and I already have a bad case of the jitters, talk about addiction.

beet1e · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2002, 04:30:15 AM »

One of the many things I like about my Asus A7V133 mobo is that there's a green LED diode which remains illuminated whenever the system is connected to the power supply, thereby greatly reducing the chances of what happened to Vermillion. Still, it's interesting to know what happens if you make this mistake

Skuzzy · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2002, 08:44:02 AM »

Yep beet1e,..gotta agree. Nicest feature I have ever seen on a motherboard. Most folks are not aware you have to wait a bit before working on the internals as the capacitors still have power in them.
With that little LED, you know exactly when it is safe to start to work on the computer.

Something so simple and yet so incredibly useful.

Vermillion · « **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2002, 01:19:47 PM »

Oh I know better

Been working on computers both as first a Technician and then as a Engineer for about 12 years now.

And sadly, my ECS motherboard also had that little LED as well. I was just in a hurry and had my head up my ass.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 02, 2002, 01:44:13 PM »

I know this question will read more like "what the hell where you thinking" but i gotta ask it anyway.

why did you hook up power intead of just manually ejcting the disk from the unpowered drive?

Vermillion · « **Reply #5 on:** July 03, 2002, 11:58:21 AM »

Because the drive tray would not come out of the drive while unpowered. And when I tried to pry it open with a screwdriver, It wouldn't budge unless I started to apply enough force to break it.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2002, 12:46:52 PM »

did you try pushing a small allen wrench or heavy wire into the manual eject hole?

not try'n to be a smart bellybutton but I've found many of my freinds didn't know that most (all that I've seen) cd drives have a small (1/16" or so) hole on the face and if you push a probe into it (small allen wrench works best) it will manualy run the gears through the eject cycle.

Lephturn · « **Reply #7 on:** July 03, 2002, 01:05:49 PM »

A paper clip works perfectly for this as well. I've got 4 machines on my desk here at work, and all CD and/or DVD drives have that hole. Works like a charm. It also normally releases the mechanism so you can pull the thing open manually even without power, at least for the tray loaders.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2002, 02:07:02 PM »

right, on the tray loaders it starts the gear process and lets the tray come out 3/4" or so and releases the catch so you can pull it out easy. on the non-tray type it just ejects your disk

bockko · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2002, 01:25:10 PM »

hmm...there is a little hole on the cd rom drive!
cool. the things you lean on the message boards