Anti-Static Precautions

Anti-static precautions absolutely must be taken whenever installing or removing components from a computer. Static electricity can severely damage the intricate parts within a computer. Just a small charge can reduce a processor's life by 50 percent!

The most obvious of all anti-static precautions is to turn off the power on the computer. Working on an electrical device without turning it off is like using a hairdryer while you soak in the bathtub. You should not disconnect the socket from the outlet but, instead, you should cut off the power supply to the outlet. This will help keep the machine grounded and allow static charge to be dispersed by the unit's metal frame.

Other Anti-Static Precautions

An anti-static wristband should also be worn when installing components. Anti-static wristbands, also called grounding straps, help to discharge static electricity through the ESD jack or the metal frame while working so that random charges are not dumped onto the processor or the RAM module. Anti-static wristbands can be found at UpgradeMemory.com and at any computer supply store.

Other anti-static precautions include operating on an anti-static mat and taking full advantage of the anti-static packaging that comes with any electrical component. Do not, under any circumstances, remove a chip or memory module from its anti-static packaging until you plan to install it. If you remove a component and plan to reuse it again, store it in anti-static packaging to protect it.