• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

FIRE!!! Almost:) Tale of Terror!

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

GreenJelly

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
I was attempting to re-install Windows 64xp, from a copied disk. I have a legal license (actually 5 of them), but the original disk is kept with my father. Burned copies of Windows 64xp dont work. Im sure I can get one to work with a bit of experimentation. So I pull out my Floppy drive, plug it in, and try to get the Windows to work. Lets just say it didnt.

I unplugged the cord from my SoundBlaster Front plate as the power source for the floppy. After giving up in the installation I plugged back into the X-Fi. It uses a floppy disk type power cord. I reached into the cramped corner between my radiator and my SB Frontpanel. I plugged it in and turned on my computer.

Quickly Smoke started rising from one of the wires... "Oh SHIP" I thought, as one hand fumble for the front power button, and the other for the power cord. Power OFF! Damage was caused by having the plug over one, so the 5v or 3v was on one of the grounds. DOH:bang head

Fried the wirers, and I dont think it ruined the device due to the quick short circuit between the two grounds. Havent gotten a replacement wire to plug the thing back in to test it.

Noob mistake:drool:, made by a hurried individual. Nothing was ruined, just a black pin on the SB Frontpannel and a few bare wires. I wouldnt recomend doing this yourself:)

I figure a mistake like this could ruin everything that is on that circuit, plus the powersupply. The PSU survived, and no HD's or Optical Drives were destroyed. Videocard works and everything else looks good:)

Wish me luck on the pannel, hate to RMA it. I must publically embarrass myself so that you guys may think twice about doing what I did. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THOOSE FLOPPY BASED POWER CORDS!

Mike
 
thanksfortheinfohc3.jpg

I've done worse... but that was on purpose.:beer:

Even worse is when somehow manage to plug in a 40amp, 12v rail... backwards into your floppy drive. The PSU was fine, but the floppy drive caught on fire.
 
neonblingbling said:
Then don't. You broke it, you should deal with it. RMA stuff that was a manufacturer's mistake, not your own.

yea...but im sure you and everyone would rma to.. lol
 
I doubt I broke it... I will let you know... and I have no problems RMAing stuff like this. It is my mistake, but it is their design that allows for this mistake. They should have used the standard plug (which is impossible to screw up) or they should have used a fan type plug (again, its impossible to screw up)

Poor Design = Mistakes, which means they are also responsible... though I have to admit this wasnt the smartest thing Ive done.

Im almost 100% positive that they take both ground wirers and immediately combind them before going into the circutry. In addition, non of the compacitors or any part apears to be burned. If it fried the wire, then it would leave a mark on the circuit. Which it didnt. We wont know for sure until the weekend, when I can get another power cable for it.
 
Gnufsh said:
I wouldn't, and I think you'll find a lot of people around here are very ethical about their rmas/warranties.

Neither would I.

If you are reasonably sure there was a pre-existing defect, that's fine...but it sounds like this was a result of something you did.
 
GreenJelly said:
... It is my mistake, but it is their design that allows for this mistake. They should have used the standard plug (which is impossible to screw up) or they should have used a fan type plug (again, its impossible to screw up)

Poor Design = Mistakes, which means they are also responsible... though I have to admit this wasnt the smartest thing Ive done. ...
I am sure that the manufacturer will take exception to this statement. I would expect that the connector is clearly marked as to orientation. They would not accept your statement that it is "Poor Design."

The American letigious society has gone overboard toward blaming their own mistakes on others. I hope this trend stops or we will become an extinct society.
 
GreenJelly said:
I doubt I broke it... I will let you know... and I have no problems RMAing stuff like this. It is my mistake, but it is their design that allows for this mistake. They should have used the standard plug (which is impossible to screw up) or they should have used a fan type plug (again, its impossible to screw up)

Poor Design = Mistakes, which means they are also responsible... though I have to admit this wasnt the smartest thing Ive done.

Im almost 100% positive that they take both ground wirers and immediately combind them before going into the circutry. In addition, non of the compacitors or any part apears to be burned. If it fried the wire, then it would leave a mark on the circuit. Which it didnt. We wont know for sure until the weekend, when I can get another power cable for it.
Poor design? Design assumes someone know how to plug in a clearly labeled power plug. You can't design for stupidity and functionality at the same time. You have to assume some level of ability in the user. If you don't have that ability it should be you who takes the blame when you mess it up. :mad:

Sure we all do stupid stuff time to time, but take YOUR blame for it. It's YOUR fault because the reason for the fault was incorrect installation. It has NOTHING to do with the design in this case.
 
If plug orientation matters, it should be designed so that it can only plug in one way, because you know somebody is going to mess it up. However, I thought floppy power connectors were keyed. It takes a fair amount of work to plug them in offset, afaik.
 
About 4 years ago I was having trouble plugging in a floppy disk drive, I figured I was doing it wrong and flipped the power plug and it slid right on.

Powered up and poof. I let out the magic blue smoke :)

Fried that floppy and the FDD controller I think. Later on that same mobo I used the mobo in an old proliant server case but didnt remove one of the old mounts and scrambled the bios.

Somehow that board managed to revive it self, I learned about Ctrl+home to boot straight to bios flash and updated the BIOS and it was fine

Crazy. I been real lucky (smart?) since then.
 
JimmyG said:
The American letigious society has gone overboard toward blaming their own mistakes on others. I hope this trend stops or we will become an extinct society.

I build programs that are not prone to errors. If user errors occur, then I take responsibility for the issue as a mistake or misleading user interface. Step up and design products that cant be screwed up by user error, or face the consiquences.

Again, this is all assuming the device doesnt work, but it appears that their is no damage to the device. I wont know for awhile... I just wanted to remind everyone to watch what their doing. Dont do what I did:)

The connector on the device is not a closed connector. It is just open pins with no prevention to errors. In my case its hard to check the connector, and I did feel around for any pins sticking out... didnt feel anything, so I thought it was in right...

Maybe it was in right, and the device shorted.

Mike

Mike
 
The difference is this is a computer and is intended to be assembled and worked on by professionals. Not some average Joe that can use any random program. You very well knew of this 4pin floppy-style connector and the inherit dangers of mishandling it. I'll admit I've done worse, like the time I fired my $250 1.4Ghz T-Bird after forgetting to install the heatsink. Was it a design flaw? Nope. It was my mistake, and I bought a new processor. I accepted responsiblity for it just like all the other components I fired. You can't hold the designers responsible for every thing that can go wrong with a product. Should motherboard manufactures wrap their boards in resistant plastics to prevent water or ESD damage? Should car companies be held liable when you do far to many clutch dumps and damage your transmission? Both of those examples are a result of user error, whether it be intentional or unintentional.

You don't burn and return.
 
Good companies like Subaru would replace the clutch even if you told them what happened. Hell I was off roading my Subaru, and the breaks went fast. I told them what I did and they fixed it. Same with the Clutch Drops, my Clutch went... was under warrenty, and I told them that I did Clutch Drops on it.

You guys make a good point, so I will be honest about what happened and what I think about their product design. If they replace it, that would be nice... else I will buy another one. Its amazing what happens when your honest with people

Mike
 
Gnufsh said:
I wouldn't, and I think you'll find a lot of people around here are very ethical about their rmas/warranties.
so lets say you bought a $500.00 gpu and took cooler off and replaced it with as5 and fried it that you wouldnt rma it? cause it was your fault? :beer:
 
redrumy3 said:
so lets say you bought a $500.00 gpu and took cooler off and replaced it with as5 and fried it that you wouldnt rma it? cause it was your fault? :beer:
you would be correct, and if you did that and posted it on these boards..the mods and everyone else would be on your *** like butter on toast
 
Mistakes do Happen! I do know that! Just be a bit more careful, and as you said, not in such a rush. I've fried a few things before because of carelessness. Better luck next time.
 
redrumy3 said:
so lets say you bought a $500.00 gpu and took cooler off and replaced it with as5 and fried it that you wouldnt rma it? cause it was your fault? :beer:
First, I wouldn't buy a $500 GPU, that price is just ridiculus. Second, I only mess with hardware I can afford to kill. But no, I wouldn't rma it.
 
Have you looked at my sig?

Ive messed with $1000 hardware, check my CPU...

Try adding up all thoose items, plus some others that were scrapped, plus shipping and RMA's Shipping, plus accessories like Black Lights, Red Lights, Switches, UV Reactive Shrink Wrap, Black Molex connectors (yes, every power connector is black), tube, Barbs, Compression Fittings, Fans, etc.

Take in account that I have bought all of this within 3 months, and most of it in one month.

You find out Ive been messing around with things that are way too much money to be messing around with. The problem is that Ive done so much custom work on the thing that everytime I poke my hands in there I have another problem. But slowly I am solving each problem.

For instance, around the same time as this SB instance, I have a Water Temp Gaudge that somehow isnt connecting to the LCD display, even though its connected... AKA short. I got to get the meter out and find out the problem. Once I find out the issue, I will fix it so its wont be a problem ever again.

Too many mods:)

Not that I am complaining. This has been fun build (mostly) except for a few times when I almost started turning green and growing big muscles.

Mike
 
Last edited:
Back