What happens when you touch hardware while it's running?

Kantastic · Nov 19, 2009

What happens when you touch hardware while it's running? More specifically, what if I placed a finger on the exposed PCB of a video card while it's running? Or touch the motherboard while it's running? I know it's a stupid question but I've been wanting to get a tech station to fool around with... ^_^

Binge · Nov 19, 2009

Kantastic said:
What happens when you touch hardware while it's running? More specifically, what if I placed a finger on the exposed PCB of a video card while it's running? Or touch the motherboard while it's running?

I

every time I touch my hardware when it's on.

erocker · Nov 19, 2009

FIRE EVERYWHERE!!!! RUN AWAY!!! :eek:

Really though, nothing.. I'm touching my hardware right now. A capacitor to be exact.

**OMG Binge LMAO!!

Kantastic · Nov 19, 2009

I've never been one to sense sarcasm over the internet... so are there any dangers to touching hardware while it's running? Worst case scenario: I put my entire palm on the exposed side of my video card. What happens?

3volvedcombat · Nov 19, 2009

Why would you do that, o i have a question can you uninstall and install any graphics card while the OS is runing and your rig is runing, i just always shit it down before i add, change, or move a video card in the x16 slots.

erocker · Nov 19, 2009

Kantastic said:
I've never been one to sense sarcasm over the internet... so are there any dangers to touching hardware while it's running? Worst case scenario: I put my entire palm on the exposed side of my video card. What happens?

3volvedcombat said:
Why would you do that, o i have a question can you uninstall and install any graphics card while the OS is runing and your rig is runing, i just always shit it down before i add, change, or move a video card in the x16 slots.

Best advice is just not to do it. Most likely nothing will happen, but who knows a little static discharge in the right area and poof. Dead hardware. But since there is no logical reason to do it.. Don't do it.

Binge · Nov 19, 2009

Pro tip: Ground yourself before touching electronics. Small static currents let off by your touch are the most harm you can do with touching electronics. You do not have to worry about shorting because skin is less conductive than metal and electricity follows the path of least resistance.

MoonPig · Nov 19, 2009

As erocker said, only touch if you have a fetish for it. Also:

Binge, OMG that's amazing, im giggling now... lol.
erocker, why are you touching a capacitor? lol
3volvedcombat, awesome type.

CDdude55 · Nov 19, 2009

If your not statically charged, then nothing.

Mussels · Nov 19, 2009

you could burn your fingers

DonInKansas · Nov 19, 2009

Stick your tongue in a spinning CPU fan, then report back what happens.

3volvedcombat · Nov 19, 2009

Sorry for the typo's im a little tired LOL. So yes ill do what ive always done, which is shut down the computer and ground my self to take and switch hardware out

Mussels · Nov 19, 2009

well yes, you shouldnt take hardware out with the PC running, with the exception of hot plug devices (USB, SATA drives in AHCI mode, etc)

Jstn7477 · Nov 19, 2009

Putting your entire palm on a running PCB might not be a good idea. There might be skin oils or something that may conduct electricity. And, as said before, touch a metal part of your computer case while the PSU is plugged into the wall so that you can discharge any static electricity generated by clothing, carpet, petting a kitty cat, etc.

Anyways, I like touching computer hardware, not to sound creepy or anything. I find fascination in the "ecosystem" of capacitors, chips, resistors, inductors, etc. on printed circuit boards as well as the network of copper traces. Call me easily amused (I honestly am for being a nerd), but I like examining all the little components and how they are arranged. Maybe it's my kind of pr0n lol.

Binge · Nov 19, 2009

Jstn7477 said:
Putting your entire palm on a running PCB might not be a good idea. There might be skin oils or something that may conduct electricity. And, as said before, touch a metal part of your computer case while the PSU is plugged into the wall so that you can discharge any static electricity generated by clothing, carpet, petting a kitty cat, etc.

Anyways, I like touching computer hardware, not to sound creepy or anything. I find fascination in the "ecosystem" of capacitors, chips, resistors, inductors, etc. on printed circuit boards as well as the network of copper traces. Call me easily amused (I honestly am for being a nerd), but I like examining all the little components and how they are arranged. Maybe it's my kind of pr0n lol.

oils aren't good conductors of electricity.

Mussels · Nov 19, 2009

Binge said:
oils aren't good conductors of electricity.

but its more polite to mention, than all the other crap that ends up on a geeks fingers.

Soylent Joe · Nov 19, 2009

Mussels said:
but its more polite to mention, than all the other crap that ends up on a geeks fingers.

Like Cheeto dust?

The other day I way trying to disconnect a molex connector that was running a fan, somehow the molex got me and gave me a nice little pulse through my arm.

Touching any hardware while it's running is hardly even a good idea though.

Mussels · Nov 19, 2009

Soylent Joe said:
Like Cheeto dust?

The other day I way trying to disconnect a molex connector that was running a fan, somehow the molex got me and gave me a nice little pulse through my arm.

Touching any hardware while it's running is hardly even a good idea though.

i've got external HDD enclosures that if i touch the metal of their case and the metal of my PC case before i hook up the e-sata/USB, i get zapped.

cheeto dust, chicken grease... bits of pizza...

Nick89 · Nov 19, 2009

Mussels said:
i've got external HDD enclosures that if i touch the metal of their case and the metal of my PC case before i hook up the e-sata/USB, i get zapped.

cheeto dust, chicken grease... bits of pizza...

I've never been shocked, I always fully power down my system and drain the caps in the PSU before working with it.

That white sticky stuff,...Creme Filling thats it.

rewindlabs · Nov 19, 2009

Be careful not to be statically charged when doing so...

I have been working my ram temps down as of late and have nothing to go by on other than what i can feel via touch...i touched the ram no problem at least 8 times or so and then i touched whilst running prime 95 to be safe and it crashed immediately...it was an already proven stable overclock BTW

hat · Nov 19, 2009

Well, nothing good happens, I'll tell you that. I don't know why you would want to mess with a running computer anyway. Even the most trivial things, like plugging a fan power header in could end badly if you do it while the computer is on.

niko084 · Nov 19, 2009

Make sure your fingers are not wet and salty

Lol, I touch all sorts of stuff when it's running to get an idea of how hot it might be.
I do try not to touch a bunch of connections just because of the very slight chance my dry hand could possibly maybe once in a blue moon in a new moons sky short.

hat · Nov 19, 2009

Yeah, I've touched heatsinks and stopped fans as well, but I don't go poking and prodding at circuit boards with current running through them.

RejZoR · Nov 19, 2009

I've touched a soundcard once. It started squeeling like a stuck pig into speakers. I just shut down the system. The other time i touched something on graphic card and it just locked up.
No biggie or just pure luck. But in general i prefer to power system down, flip PSU switch to OFF and press main POWER button on PC case to discharge capacitors (fans usually spin again for the last time). Then it's ready to work without any problems.

AsRock · Nov 19, 2009

Kantastic said:
I've never been one to sense sarcasm over the internet... so are there any dangers to touching hardware while it's running? Worst case scenario: I put my entire palm on the exposed side of my video card. What happens?

Yeah, worsted case you get a smack.. Maybe worse from a 8 pin connector from a PCI-e connection i would of thought.

You'll think twice about doing it again but will not be long till ya getting close to doing it again.

Fans freak me out be honest even more so the PANA fans as their sharp as hell.

System Name	Dust Collector
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