Unplug ATX before inserting/removing ram?

[kturnerga]

Hello
By the book you should unplug an ATX system before moving RAM in or out. Will having a plugged up system while pulling/putting RAM fry the motherboard?

It may be or may not be the culprit behind several Gigabyte boards being dead at my shop or else something else got to them. But shouldn't there be a pile of dead boards of all architectures?
Thanks
Ken

[kturnerga]

Sorry but I guess I meant if I didn't unplug shouldn't there be a pile of dead ATX boards at my shop because usually we don't unplug the AC going to the power supply.
Thanks again
Ken

[MacGyver]

Maybe you just got a bad batch of Gigabyte boards.

[cyberhh]

However it IS a good policy to always uplug ac power before opening the case for anything.

[Damned Angel]

I've got a pile of bad giga-byte boards also, probably just a bad batch.

[Kenteth420]

I always thought it's supposed to be better to leave them plugged in because at least the case is grounded then, with p4's I unplug them because they continuously have power, just dont bump that power button when in the case.

[LTB_Dagger_Qc]

I usually unplug the pcs because i know they keep getting power even turned off. They usually have a LED on the board, and i just shuts off just to be sure. You can never be 2 carefull. Even for any hardware. For example a lot of Wake-on-Lan Network cards, when plugged will actually boot your computer without warning...

[orange]

I leave systems plugged in but switched off at the mains. That way your grounded when you touch the case but you won't fry anything cos there's no power to the PSU.

[Larommi]

I unplug atx and leave at plugged in. I have seen alot of mobos that are hot all the time...IE some green light on them. at I know when they are off they are off.

[Kenny P.]

Never unplug a machine. Leave it plugged in, turn off the power switch on the PS itself and if nothing else remove the power supply connector from the motherboard.

Leaving the ground in place helps to disapate static built up in you.

Kenny P.
Visualize Whirled Peas

[]-[otRod]

The procedure Ive always used when working within a case is to leave the power cord connected to the AC with the power OFF on the ATX power switch. Once Im grounded to the case with either a wrist strap (when I remember) or having some part of my hand/arm making contact with the metal on the case, I then unplug the AC from the power supply. This way Im at the same potential difference as the PC when the AC is unplugged. Once Im done working inside the case, reverse the procedure by plugging back in the AC to the power supply, then unhook the wrist strap to break the contact between myself and the PC before powering up. Its also important to be sure and have plenty of anti-static bags handy to place components into as you remove them from the case. If you are working on a rug, try some fabric softner liquid dilluted in some water sprayed on the floor and the work area to reduce any built up charge in the work area - and it helps cover up the stale pizza and spilled Mtn. Dew odors!

[Skywalker93]

[quote]Originally posted by Kenny P.:
<strong>Never unplug a machine. Leave it plugged in, turn off the power switch on the PS itself and if nothing else remove the power supply connector from the motherboard.

Leaving the ground in place helps to disapate static built up in you.

Kenny P.
Visualize Whirled Peas</strong><hr></blockquote>

Thats true and all, but wouldn't an anti-static strap work the same. Or put down and ESD mat either on the floor you are standing on or on the workbench. Just a thought. I use mine every now and then, but not all the time. I used to be a religious user of it each and every time.

[TazNet]

At the shop I have a large metal workbench with a rubber anti-stat mat on top of it (you can get the anti-stat mat from <a href="http://www.alliedelec.com" target="_blank">www.alliedelec.com</a> and I think digikey sells them too) I do most of my work on it and always unplug the power.

When working onsite I have a home-made plug with a grounding bananna-clip that I attach to the case and then unplug the power supply.

Gigabyte may have a problem with some of their boards or you may have a bad batch. But it does seem as if I replace more of them than I have of asus boards

[Stanley_Kubrick]

You should unplug the PSU from the wall when working with expansion slots of any kind.

[deseqer]

You mean to say, I have to turn off the computer first before I add/remove a part from the inside of the computer. I thought windows 2000 supported hot swap.DOH


no Serious. I turn off the computer and leave it pluged in, but turn off the switch in the back, if it is there.