10 Jul 11
On suffering the arduous task of having to reaffirm my competence as a (an) lazy oaf, I stumbled across a site that is actually top quality, and best of all free.
http://www.professormesser.com/free-a-plus-training/220-701/professor-messers-free-220-70x-comptia-a-training-course/
(I deliberately left the address in long form, so it is obvious as to its destination).
If anybody was interested in getting a sound grounding in the ways of Computing and all its wonders (or refreshing knowledge acquired in the 80's), then this site is second to none.
Mr. Sonhouse, behold, this is the promise land, videos on how to fiddle around inside the box and then how to stop others doing it remotely.
10 Jul 11
Originally posted by WoodgieThat's awesome! 22 hours of courses! I just had lightning hit the house and it took out part of my family machine. Was surprised it didn't just fry the whole thing but the LAN and audio are onboard, not cards and it killed both.
On suffering the arduous task of having to reaffirm my competence as a (an) lazy oaf, I stumbled across a site that is actually top quality, and best of all free.
http://www.professormesser.com/free-a-plus-training/220-701/professor-messers-free-220-70x-comptia-a-training-course/
(I deliberately left the address in long form, so it is obvious as to its ...[text shortened]... d, videos on how to fiddle around inside the box and then how to stop others doing it remotely.
My buddy Matt has a small computer repair shop and I took it to him to get cards to get it back up and running because he gets parts a lot cheaper than I can, wasn't a big deal fix.
Ironic part is my UPS died a couple of weeks ago (has built in surge protection) and I thought, I can get along without it for a couple of weeks while I get the bucks together for a new on.
So of course the house got hit with lightning, first time in over 20 years we have lived here that happened. Lightning got close plenty of times but this time the bolt had our name on it. Sounded like a cannon going off. It also took out two spiral lights and my son's Xbox360, which was under warranty though.
10 Jul 11
Originally posted by sonhouseOther than quickly unplugging stuff before the storm, there is not much you can do in that situation.
That's awesome! 22 hours of courses! I just had lightning hit the house and it took out part of my family machine. Was surprised it didn't just fry the whole thing but the LAN and audio are onboard, not cards and it killed both.
My buddy Matt has a small computer repair shop and I took it to him to get cards to get it back up and running because he gets ...[text shortened]... f. It also took out two spiral lights and my son's Xbox360, which was under warranty though.
I've installed spike protectors in the past but when they come up against a terawatt or two, they tend to fail ;-)
10 Jul 11
Originally posted by sonhouseIn Zambia, if you have a modem (the standard way in the past for getting email), then you must also have a line protector or you will loose your modem at the first thunder storm. Interestingly, here in Cape Town, although we get plenty of rain we get almost no thunder and lightening. I have heard thunder here about once every two years, whereas in Zambia it comes with every rain storm.
I just had lightning hit the house and it took out part of my family machine..
13 Jul 11
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Originally posted by twhiteheadI spent four years in the US air force in Lincoln Nebraska (base long gone now) and they have the weirdest lightning I ever saw. I was standing at the door to our long barracks and there was a metal screen on the door. So I am standing there about an inch from touching it and damifi drew an electrical arc which takes about 20,000 volts.
In Zambia, if you have a modem (the standard way in the past for getting email), then you must also have a line protector or you will loose your modem at the first thunder storm. Interestingly, here in Cape Town, although we get plenty of rain we get almost no thunder and lightening. I have heard thunder here about once every two years, whereas in Zambia it comes with every rain storm.
The lightning there goes from cloud to cloud in a kind of sheet. Never saw sheet lightning before but it happens all the time there. It is also silent. Freaky looking. The voltage builds up tremendous charges in the air and that metal screen picked up some of it.
Kind of like Ben Franklin and his kit experiment except this was right at ground level. There was no obvious lightning going on when I got zapped but a few minutes later the sheet lightning started up, silent waves of light wiggling by from cloud to cloud. I would not have wanted to be in an aircraft in one of those storms and I seem to remember the planes at the air base being grounded for a while till it passed over.
We also had freaky ice storms too, in January, the weather got warmer, started raining, then the temperature dropped by 30 or 40 degrees and was still raining for a while but the ice built up about one inch thick over EVERYTHING, cars, grass, roadways, aircraft runways. It looked weird too, bubbly, that is to say if you could imagine a smooth icy surface but covered with half ping pong ball sized bits of ice everywhere. It was so slippery you couldn't even WALK on it much less drive. I saw one kid try to get his car out of the driveway and he couldn't move an inch much less actually get going somewhere. The base closed down for 2 days that time.
BTW, did you ever burn out the surge protector during a bad storm?
13 Jul 11
Originally posted by sonhouseI don't think so. I don't think I ever had one myself which is why I lost several modems to lightening, but then I didn't use modems very much myself. I did see a lot of other people fried modems. My mum lost her modem then bought a line protector and never had a problem since as far as I know. She still uses it for receiving faxes.
BTW, did you ever burn out the surge protector during a bad storm?
Here in SA I have ADSL but I believe the phone lines run underground.
13 Jul 11
Originally posted by sonhouseSo of course the house got hit with lightning, first time in over 20 years.
That's awesome! 22 hours of courses! I just had lightning hit the house and it took out part of my family machine. Was surprised it didn't just fry the whole thing but the LAN and audio are onboard, not cards and it killed both.
My buddy Matt has a small computer repair shop and I took it to him to get cards to get it back up and running because he gets ...[text shortened]... f. It also took out two spiral lights and my son's Xbox360, which was under warranty though.
Only to be expected after your posts in 'Spirituality'.Do you need more 'proof'.