Dangerous PCIe Installation requires Power Connected to Socket????

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by Infiltrator

I went to the best buy geek squad and they said it is NOT reccommended to have the computer connected to a socket and they dont know why the manual says it should be ....and the card remains in its box.

I wouldn't worry to much about what a best buy sales guy will say about it, they have as much true technical expertize as my grandma use to have . You can how ever check with a real dedicated computer repair shop and they will tell you the same thing as I am now. When that flip switch is set on off, the circuit inside the PSU is not completed, so the electricity can't move out of the PSU to the computer's motherboard. Do the test yourself, put that switch on off and try to boot your computer.

[Craig F]

having a path to ground is a good thing
having the hot leg connected is not that good
a power strip switched off is a good option

[YYR123]

Originally Posted by Craig F

having a path to ground is a good thing
having the hot leg connected is not that good
a power strip switched off is a good option

It's the same as echma's option - electrically speaking - or if u will double block and bleed - industry standard term when dealing with hazards - OSHA 10'card holder

[Infiltrator]

Ok this is done. Here is what i did do foer any one wondering - 1) opened case, 2) held powersupply spring-action burron down for 7 seconds to discharge. 2) disconnected from socket. 3) grounded self, 4) installed card. 5) moved nvidia quadro up higher because heat rises and i would rather not have extra heat given to the Pro Tools HD card (but i hope i am not going to bottleneck the HD card since now it is not the first card in line (some computer guy said the first card closest to the top will work the fastest... now this is a dilemna.. where should I place each? I have nvidia as the first 16x, the second is a 4x left empt for a UAD 2 coming , then the HD one...

Uhh also its very wierd.. pro tools has sound but not mp3s on windows media player nor youtube.. but i guess this is for another thread.

also does anyone know of good resources that show how i can learn all the Pro Tools HD tips tricks, methods, etc? because i cant afford the next levels of the Avid Certification program.. i only did the LE levels back when it was on 7 and for get some stuff.

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by Infiltrator

Ok this is done. Here is what i did do foer any one wondering - 1) opened case, 2) held powersupply spring-action burron down for 7 seconds to discharge. 2) disconnected from socket. 3) grounded self, 4) installed card. 5) moved nvidia quadro up higher because heat rises and i would rather not have extra heat given to the Pro Tools HD card (but i hope i am not going to bottleneck the HD card since now it is not the first card in line (some computer guy said the first card closest to the top will work the fastest... now this is a dilemna.. where should I place each? I have nvidia as the first 16x, the second is a 4x left empt for a UAD 2 coming , then the HD one...

Uhh also its very wierd.. pro tools has sound but not mp3s on windows media player nor youtube.. but i guess this is for another thread.

also does anyone know of good resources that show how i can learn all the Pro Tools HD tips tricks, methods, etc? because i cant afford the next levels of the Avid Certification program.. i only did the LE levels back when it was on 7 and for get some stuff.

Pro tools expert blog is very very good and has over 400 videos for you to surf through and learn.

As for the lanes, check your mobo user manual, it should states which pcie slots are using 16x, which are 4x 8x ect. The manual actually state to plug it in the first slot that is closest to the video card, it's not stating that it should be installed into any specific speed slot, or that it needs a 16x slot. Typically your video card should be the one is slot 1 which usually is a 16x. Some mobo have more than one 16x which is why I'm recommending you check your mobo user manual, if you have not already done so.

[Infiltrator]

K well whatever the first 16 x slot closest to the top was the one i installed the video card to - and the pro tools one underneath that next one...

at this point it is a competition in my home studio as to which fan is louder, the one from my axe fx 2 or the one from the OMNI - this is pathetic.

[Emcha_audio]

That's quite often the case that's why people either get Isobox or built a machine room out of a ventilated closet.

[TOM@METRO]

Be sure that you have installed the latest firmware in the Omni. (Run Digitest).

I have installed the HDX card in the third PCIe slot (x8) and have had no issues.

[dino_squirrel]

Your concerns really aren't anything to worry about. Touch the case and that will discharge you of any electricity built up from static. Leave it plugged in or not, it doesn't matter if you're not moving once you discharge. What you're trying to protect against is an almost unheard of problem, it does happen, but it's suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper rare. ESD to cards... And another thing - DO NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER LISTEN TO BEST BUY TECHS. I've been a PC tech for 15 years and when business got low I decided to apply for their "geek squad," talk about pathetic! You don't have to know anything about computers, it says that on the application. Their troubleshooting is left to installing software on your computer and it telling the "tech" what to do. The only guys that know anything there are the 1 or 2 in the back doing the real work. Their answer is to install pieces of software and charge hundreds of dollars. They cannot perform virus removal at all, 1) they don't know how and 2) they need to sell you virus software and let the program do they job, while they charge you per hour to install it, get the definitions, run a scan, and tell you it didn't work.

If you haven't done so, just install the card. Discharge on a light socket screw, the chassis of the computer, another human etc, but just limit your movement to repel build up.

[CME]

Yep it's pretty simple really. You want to discharge any electricity before working inside the computer. You do this by touching something grounded. In this case it's the PC case which is grounded through the power supply which is grounded through the round longer pin of the electric cord (assuming a US power cord) going into the wall socket.

If the switch on the power supply is off, and by all means it should always be off when doing something inside the case, no power will pass. I promise. So by leaving the computer plugged in, the case still has a path to ground should you move around and build up more static.

If its not connected you could possibly (but very unlikely) short something out if you move around and build up electricity and the touch something inside the case. Whether or not you touched the case beforehand as there is no path to ground.

The odds of you building up enough static charge to damage anything is so slim it's not funny but that's why you should leave the cable plugged in. Just in case you do manage to be really staticy.