computers

Fifer

MikeFishcake wrote: »

If it's plugged in but switched off at the wall socket, it's totally safe.

As long as the wiring in the mains socket hasn't had live and neutral transposed and no-one switches the wall socket when you aren't looking and you don't get a kick off the unswitched neutral ...

It's most likely safe. I'm not sure I'd agree with totally however.

niceguyrichy

MikeFishcake wrote: »

If it's plugged in but switched off at the wall socket, it's totally safe.

exactly. and you're grounded to earth as a bonus.

aknot , you'r talking carp.

BillScarab

I've never seen an issue with the scanner you download from Crucial and run on your PC. Admittedly the bit where you just select your machine from drop down lists is not 100%.

But if the OP's son reads this he can use the Crucial scanner, check the Motherboard specs online and in the manual, if they have one, and then order form where he likes.

It's unlikely he'll have a problem.

We may just be scaring the OP off with all this talk of potential problems.

MikeFishcake

aknot wrote: »

But thats the big pain, as its the amount of RAM they get wrong, as a HP Pavillion I was working on needed more RAM and the Crucial site said it will take 2x512 sticks and so I got the RAM and just on boot beep, so after investigating the MoBo was EU spec and not US as informed by Crucial and could only take 2x256 so I re-ordered and the cust wasnt happy about the wait because crucial were 100% sure they were right.

But no method is completely, truly guaranteed to work. Like I said, merely reading the technical specifications off a motherboard manufacturer's website doesn't guarantee compatibility either, unless the manufacturer specifically lists makes and models of guaranteed compatible memory. As far as I'm concerned, Crucial is the better option, especially for those without a techie background.

aknot wrote: »

The crucial scanner will only work on certain models and falls over on self built units, If you dont do it by MoBo specs then best of luck :rotfl:

*raises eyebrows*

Motherboard specifications are a good place to start, but they're not guaranteed. As for won't work on self-built units... *cough*

Fifer

I have to confess to being rather alarmed at advice suggesting that it's ok for a child to modify plugged-in mains-powered equipment, switched off at the wall or not. Two of the first things I was taught as a raw trainee were that mains power should be treated with the utmost respect and caution, and that you should never, ever, ever, rely on a wall switch as a safety isolation device.

MikeFishcake

aknot wrote: »

I will leave this thread as you all have issues with,

Working safely,

Getting the right Components,

Relying solely on a website.

Best of luck

:rolleyes:

*waves goodbye*

It's all too easy for a technical person to download a motherboard identification program, to plough through the necessary sections in that program to find the model number, to find the motherboard manufacturer's website, to search for the model number, to browse the long, long list of specifications, to then browse through the many sections of a memory supplier's website to find what looks like the correct model, because it's something they do every day.

However, and this is something I've noticed a lot in the IT industry... Many techies forget (or simply don't care) that the vast majority of people don't have a techie background and haven't got the time (or the need, let's be honest) to learn how to do something like this, which is why it's far, far easier to get someone to click a few things on a website than go through the steps mentioned above.

It certainly won't do any harm to unplug the computer, but at the same time it won't do any harm to take anti-static precautions. If you're worried, leave it unplugged.

timbim_2

The ideal way to ensure that it's earthed would be to have a modified power cable for tinkering with nothing connected to the live or neutral pins, just one wire to the earth pin. That would guarantee earthing without any risk of power spikes! No, seriously, the best way to check compatability is to see what the specs of the RAM you already have are and then just get another board with the same compatability specs!

janetteosborne

Hi
Thanks to you all who answered my question about my son upgrading the computer. Much appreciated.

I might let him lose then. But I will have to get my husband who works for the electric co to make sure the electric is off at the main sub station just in case he blows the whole of the town up. Could be tricky you know these 16 year olds - they are invincible and can do just about anything.......:rotfl:

BillScarab

aknot wrote: »

So dowloading PCWizard and having a look at the MoBo spec is way to difficult for users here :rotfl:

:rolleyes:



:rolleyes:

For a lot of people quite possibly. The point of this board is to try and help people who have no idea abut these things at all. The people asking for help are usuall ynot PC literate, have a look at the number fo times people have asked how to move the taskbar. There have even been people asking how to copy files from one drive to another. That's not to say they're stupid just that they don't have that particular knowledge.

People may well be able to download PC Wizard and find out what motherboard they have and find the manufacturers website and find the specs. However for most people a tool like the Crucial one is far simpler to use.

MikeFishcake

Janette - Run! Just run for your life! Sell your computer and move to a remote farm somewhere in the Pyrenees! You don't need this hassle!

aknot wrote: »

So dowloading PCWizard and having a look at the MoBo spec is way to difficult for users here :rotfl:

I thought you said you weren't coming back.

Anyway, from 10 years experience of dealing with literally thousands of customers? Yes it is too difficult for a lot of people! Just because I can do it and you can do it doesn't mean everyone else can (or indeed should be able to)! How can you not grasp this concept?

Like I said above, it's not just a case of finding out the motherboard model number - you've then got to go to the manufacturer's website to download the specification sheet, then working out which bit is about the memory, then noting down the specifications, then finding a memory vendor's website and browsing through the many types of memory there. Something that you and I could do in minutes, but that's because we know what we're looking for.

Your attitude is symptomatic of everything I dislike about IT Support. Condescending laughing smilies? This thread isn't about helping people, it's turned into a childish points scoring event, trying to make yourself look better by ridiculing other people, as your recent signature chage suggests. It's people like you that inspired "The IT Crowd" TV programme.

Technical knowledge is an important thing, but customer service is equally as important.

I can't be doing with this. I don't mind people that don't know what they're doing; it's the ones that think they know better than everyone else that cause the most hassle.

I'm not going to bother with this forum section again if all my experience is going to be replied to with patronising emoticons.

Janette - good luck.

Bye

Mike