HDD Docking station for photo storage.

The risk of static discharge exists everywhere but in varying probability of occurrence. I spent the first 30+ years of my life in the humid southern USA. The only static shock I can ever remember were intentionally induced by dragging one's feet across carpet while wearing wool socks then touching a siblings ear. On the other hand, I spent nine years in Fairbanks, AK. Static was so prevalent there that the dog would wince as soon as you extended your hand to pat her on the head.

As I went for leisure rather early I have been out of it for 11 years but ESD protection had been the buzz word in the electronics component industry for some time as it can be a serious problem during manufacture when the parts are actually used. While I wouldn't suggest that people should disregard it completely it isn't as bad as it was. ESD has one good aspect volts may be high but the actual energy content which is the main problem is generally rather low.

ESD Electro Static Discharge.

John
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Originally Posted by ajohnw

As I went for leisure rather early I have been out of it for 11 years but ESD protection had been the buzz word in the electronics component industry for some time as it can be a serious problem during manufacture when the parts are actually used. While I wouldn't suggest that people should disregard it completely it isn't as bad as it was. ESD has one good aspect volts may be high but the actual energy content which is the main problem is generally rather low.

ESD Electro Static Discharge.

John
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John - I've been building and modifying computers for about 40 years, and while what you write about voltages being high and energy being low; I've unfortunately found out the hard way that microelectronics are very sensitive to ESD, even in situations where there is no noticeable shock. As a fellow engineer and friend who works in the microelectronics industry once told me "rocks (i.e. silicon) don't like shocks".

I will make sure I have grounded myself before touching any electronic component found inside a compuiter...

I did point out that it shouldn't be disregarded but then I know nothing I just worked with the stuff and often specified it as well. As it was in a development area I am also pretty capable of the removing and resoldering of all sorts of sizes and pin counts and pitches of surface mount components. Of course I don't know how to handle them or the boards either.

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Originally Posted by Cliff Roamer

Never had a problem with static but don't have the issues that you have, I actually do a triple backup, C drive is on a SSD and is backed up incrementally daily as is the internal D drive and both will now also be backed up to external drives via the station, if I acquire TB's of pictures I might set up RAID but I don't need it at the moment and I understand that RAID does automatically what requires me to click a few buttons but I can live with that.

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Mike - as long as it does what you require at a price point you are comfortable with and you don't mind pressing a few buttons, that's the main thing - the only caveat I would add, and you probably do it anyway, but keep one set of backups in a separate location to your working / 1st backups.

The Icybox, and others like it, also have another benefit - with the right set of linux utilities you can use them instead of a pen drive as an external recovery drive if one of your (friends) system gets corrupted.

steve

steve

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Originally Posted by dabhand

Mike - as long as it does what you require at a price point you are comfortable with and you don't mind pressing a few buttons, that's the main thing - the only caveat I would add, and you probably do it anyway, but keep one set of backups in a separate location to your working / 1st backups.

The Icybox, and others like it, also have another benefit - with the right set of linux utilities you can use them instead of a pen drive as an external recovery drive if one of your (friends) system gets corrupted.

steve

steve

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Steve, I'm no Linux expert but I have tried a few distros and now using Mint on a laptop and really like it, the only reason I don't use it on my desktop is lack of GPU driver support (it's getting a bit better) as I'm an avid gamer, I have often used a Linux Live CD to access a dead windows PC but using the icy box is not something I had considered, any links to the Linux utilities would be appreciated ;)

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Originally Posted by ajohnw

I did point out that it shouldn't be disregarded but then I know nothing I just worked with the stuff and often specified it as well. As it was in a development area I am also pretty capable of the removing and resoldering of all sorts of sizes and pin counts and pitches of surface mount components. Of course I don't know how to handle them or the boards either.

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In general I have to support John on this one. Mosfets, cmos devices etc are very sensitive to ESD and antistatic precautions are required during the manufacturing and assembly of such electronic circuits. However once assembled the risk is reduced considerably. Most unit to unit I/O connections are designed with pull up or pull down resistors and often followed by an in series resistance and sometimes a zener diode to ALMOST prevent the possibility of damage to the following integrated circuits from ESD.

If the product is made by a reputable manufacturer connections designed for normal use will be pretty well protected but generally the protection can only work if the units are all at a common ground before a connection is made. Providing a common ground including the person touching the equipment is the key to not having a problem.

However if in low humidity you walk across a nylon carpet, grab a disk drive off a plastic coated shelf and plug it into a docking station without first making contact with a common ground preferably via a high resistance antistatic strap, as good as the inbuilt circuit protection is, you may be pushing your luck a bit too bit far.

Basic precautions yes, but no need to be unduly scared.