PCs Plagued by Bad Capacitors

Hawaiian Rules writes "CNET has a story detailing a new threat to Dell PCs, Apple iMacs and other computers with Intel boards. This has been documented on BadCaps.net for some time, but the article also discusses what to do if you suspect you've got a case of the bad caps."

Re:Not the first time

[Slashdiddly]

Watch out for all the 'Geeks popping a cap in your mother' jokes.

Sorry I couldn't resist

What to do if you have a Bad Cap:

[racecarj]

Call Capman

Re:Not the first time

[Senjutsu]

Sorry I couldn't resist

Few people have that capacity.

Re:Not the first time

[CosmeticLobotamy]

Because they store less than one coulomb per volt.

I don't get it.

Modern Times

[Doc Ruby]

The Internet really has become quite a zoo. Once the chairman of IBM thought "there is a world market for maybe five computers" [chrononhotonthologos.com]. Now there's a server farm just for bitching about bad capacitors. We really live in an age of miracles.

Re:Not the first time

[fossa]

I don't get these modern jokes... I just can't stay current.

CAPS BAD?

[Anonymous Coward]

ME NO UNDERSTAND!

bad caps

[iggy_mon]

if you suspect you've got a case of the bad caps

yeah, this one time in college, there was this girl... it was my first time, not hers though... i didn't know...

oh! caps! never mind...

Re:Not the first time

[richdun]

Such a waste, especially when consider they had such high potential.

Re:Not the first time

[roman_mir]

I can't post jokes with such frequency, it takes too much power.

Ohm my god. As farads I'm concerned...

[Anonymous Coward]

you all deserve a kick in the joules.

Re:Not the first time

[gordo3000]

Sorry I couldn't resist

Few people have that capacity.

The story just induces bad jokes, doesn't it?

Re:Not the first time

[Doppler00]

Sorry I couldn't resist

Few people have that capacity.

Well, it doesn't require that much inductive reasoning.

Re:Not the first time

[aktzin]

I don't get these modern jokes... I just can't stay current.

Not even Faraday?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farad [wikipedia.org]

Re:Not the first time

[The Clockwork Troll]

I doubt the parent wanted a pun cascade but I farad might come to this.

Re:Ohm my god. As farads I'm concerned...

[Rellik66]

For what, bad conduct?

Re:Not the first time

[zpeterz63]

I guess I shouldn't be that shocked.

I think you mean...

[buck_wild]

a bad rubber.

Unless you call that a cap. In that case, more power to ya.

Re:Problem's been around for awhile.

[penguinoid]

Bad Caps have been a problem since 2002 at least.

I THOUGHT COMPUTERS WITH BAD CAPS WAS A PROBLEM SINCE THEY INVENTED CHAT. That has to have been well before 2002.

Re:Not the first time

[sd_diamond]

Ohmy God; can we please get back to the current topic? And try to conduct yourselves with a little more dignity.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Not the first time

[QuantumFTL]

Sorry I couldn't resist

Few people have that capacity.

The story just induces bad jokes, doesn't it?

This thread shows there is little impedance to such humor on /..

Re:Not the first time

[nihilogos]

*sigh* If only I had the power to stop these jokes. At least keep them current.

If your resistence to these jokes is R, then the power you require to keep them at a current I is given by P = I^2 R

Why the heck can't we use the <sup> tag anyway?

Re:More than just Intel boards

[Anonymous Coward]

A dent? Bitch please, they aren't filled with TNT! (You ass)

Re:More than just Intel boards

[lga]

A dent? Bitch please, they aren't filled with TNT! (You ass)

If you think that capacitors can't explode and leave a dent then you have obviously never stuck one in a 240V mains socket and turned it on. (This works best with lab bench sockets, where you can flip the switch from *behind* it.)

Re:Bad caps turned the iMac G5 into a lemon

[Slashcrap]

Also, on the iMac G5 Apple will extend coverage specifically for the capacitor issue, so even if your warranty coverage expires they will fix your machine at their expense (http://www.apple.com/support/imac/repairextension [apple.com] program/ [apple.com]).

Wow! Apple sure do give great customer service!

I think I'm going to go out and buy a faulty Mac with substandard parts just so I can experience it!

Re:Not the first time

[Anonymous Coward]

No, it's the French that are revolting.

Re:More than just Intel boards

[MECC]

I've popped big capacitors, much bigger than those found in PCs, but not the coke can sized ones (I'm not crazy). They will explode with vigor, and I could see them putting a very small dent in thin metal, but not in the gage of metal I see most cases made of - its not impossible though. However, its rare for one which is correctly connected to actually blow up. Usually failure is just a breakdown of the dielectric, resulting in a shunt or short circuit. Worse still, before they go bad, they often change their capacity, resulting in a very different circuit. But, hook one in backwards - yes it'll go boom.

More fun than blowing them up is to charge them and toss them at someone while saying 'catch'. Even more fun is getting a coke can sized one and welding things together with it (you can only get a little spot welded, though - perfect for carraige bolt stick men).

Or better yet, wire one to the inside of a door handle and charge it up. Man, I never thought my grandma could jump so high....

Re:Not the first time

[Guysmiley777]

Something something [b]dielectric[/b] something.

Re:I declare this horse officially dead.

[Grayden]

Watt are you talking about?

Re:Not the first time

[Austerity Empowers]

You have a susceptance to complain.

Re:Not the first time

[Anonymous Coward]

He probably lives in the tri-state area.