I electrocuted my Laptop

Podman

Toshiba Satellite L350-170, but this could be any computer..

So, I was wearing synthetic track suit bottoms and moving around as normal (generating static electricity as I went), I reached out to remove a phone charger from the laptop's usb port.
As I approached it, a spark leapt from my finger to the other end of the small cable.


It was no little 'pop' either, it was a proper 'fzzzt', and started about an inch away.
It lasted only a fraction of a second but was enough to turn my three usb ports into lifeless ganglia.
My wireless thingy is also not working.
I use Windows F--king Vista, the first operating system to evolve backwards.
I now get this popup message every so often, sometimes every few seconds..


when I click it, I get this error report..


I could probably live with it, but these alerts are driving me crazy...
Does anyone know how to disable these alerts? And/or the sounds they make?
I don't expect any major solutions to the problem, I don't even know if that can be fixed. It is a bit wierd that my usb key works fine, but not my phone or mouse?

Pushtrak

I'd actually recommend just switching to XP altogether for all the advantages it'd bring, not just in this case.

Podman

Anyone have a copy of XP pro with a serial?

I don't know if this thread goes here, Technically it's a laptop issue, but I require Vista help.

A static shock is unusual enough, What have people done to their computers to break them? (eg. spill drinks, etc)

Overheal

Pushtrak wrote: »

I'd actually recommend just switching to XP altogether for all the advantages it'd bring, not just in this case.

Speaking of Evolving backwards..... - also, I cchallenge you to point out an OS thats setup to deal with high discharge static. Ass that to the list of weird PC deaths.

Well, the USB controller is likely fried. Go into the Device Manager again and Disable the Hardware altogether.

Podman

Overheal wrote: »

Speaking of Evolving backwards..... - also, I cchallenge you to point out an OS thats setup to deal with high discharge static. Ass that to the list of weird PC deaths.

Well, the USB controller is likely fried. Go into the Device Manager again and Disable the Hardware altogether.

I know they won't make an OS for crazy static people and their crazy static adventures.

Pooter's not so much dead yet, just has a broken paw.

I already disabled the device manager conflict (Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface) Network Adapter which I believe tunnels the IPv6 traffic over an IPv4 network interface. (I'm guessing that would be the wireless thingamajig that got zapped)

So, I have now disabled usb port 4, and the unknown device... just got another alert now. aaaaagghh.

Overheal

http://www.google.com/search?q=disable+windows+balloons&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I'd put more effort into this but its late and I just rememebered all 3 hours of sleep i got last night

Podman

Overheal wrote: »

http://www.google.com/search?q=disable+windows+balloons&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I'd put more effort into this but its late and I just rememebered all 3 hours of sleep i got last night

It worked

I followed that link and the instructions and the popup alerts have gone, ALL of them. I thought I'd never see the end of them, nag nag nag nag nag!

Before you make changes to a registry key or subkey, we recommend that you export, or make a backup copy of, the key or subkey.

1. Open the Registry Editor by clicking the Start button , typing regedit into the Search box, and then pressing ENTER.* If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. Locate and click the key or subkey that you want to back up.
3. Click the File menu, and then click Export.
4. In the Save in box, select the location where you want to save the backup copy, and then type a name for the backup file in the File name box.
5. Click Save.

There is no need to "search" for regedit, just "run.." it.

To disable balloon tips in the notification area, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
2. Locate the following subkey:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Right-click the right side pane, create a new DWORD value, and then name it EnableBalloonTips.
4. Double-click EnableBalloonTips, and then give it a value of 0.
5. Close Registry Editor.
6. Log off Windows, and then log back on.

The sounds remained and, after some searching , I just went into Control Panel > Sound > Sounds-tab, and set Device Connect and Device Disconnect sounds to "none". It turns off all the usb sounds, so I am undistracted now

Thanks Overheal.

Overheal

no problemo, im glad zombieheal was helpful to you. Zombieheal once repaired a smashed mp3 player while I was blacked out on rum. What a guy.

BumbleB

Chompy I am in awe with how you were able to fry the motherboard.

Podman

BumbleB wrote: »

Chompy I am in awe with how you were able to fry the motherboard.

I did it with some sausages and an egg.
But I didn't fry all of it, just the bit I needed for tooling up my phone with awesome music.

BumbleB

chompy wrote: »

I did it with some sausages and an egg.
But I didn't fry all of it, just the bit I needed for tooling up my phone with awesome music.

Are you sure?, the ic's on the motherboard are susceptible to static electricty ,when you get a big surge at once it can permanenetly damage electronic devices and this is known as catastrophic Esd and this may be why its not recognising the ports ,hopefull not ,though...

BumbleB

chompy wrote: »

I did it with some sausages and an egg.
But I didn't fry all of it, just the bit I needed for tooling up my phone with awesome music.

Alll you needed was a bit of brown sauce and it would have been delish ,bosh.

Podman

... when you get a big surge at once it can permanenetly damage electronic devices and this is known as catastrophic Esd and this may be why its not recognising the ports...

Oh definitely, I don't know why it didn't just die there and then, with it's legs folded in and it's tongue hanging out. I can only guess that most of the charge either stayed around the usb metal, or went into the heat-sink somewhere.

I also think that there is some kind of short or unstable element in the computer's gizzards that connects intermittently, causing the false-usb-connect-error to go on and off, as I mentioned in #1. I presume the circuit will eventually cover itself in carbon and gradually stop sparking so often, or else will start a fire and burn the house down.

Doozie

This is the funniest thread I have ever read about a pc error message.

My favourite bits

chompy wrote: »

I use Windows F--king Vista, the first operating system to evolve backwards.

chompy wrote: »

I know they won't make an OS for crazy static people and their crazy static adventures.

Pooter's not so much dead yet, just has a broken paw.

Overheal wrote: »

Zombieheal once repaired a smashed mp3 player while I was blacked out on rum. What a guy.

BumbleB wrote: »

Alll you needed was a bit of brown sauce and it would have been delish ,bosh.

I can regurgatate enough laughter gas from that mix to last me a week! Thanks you guys

BumbleB

Pushtrak wrote: »

I'd actually recommend just switching to XP altogether for all the advantages it'd bring, not just in this case.

Yep ,like not having to suffer a near nervous breakdown .