My Core i7 5960X + MSI X99 Experience So Far: It's Smoking, Really

[jcgeny]

intel is too expensive and its products are not that great.
i looked for your cpu 1000 euro , mobo : 230 , ram : 370 , so it is 1600 euro for a 3Ghz cpu ...my old dual cpu 8400 was running at that speed .
they do cores and cores but there is no "public" os that are really threaded nor win or linux and very few software too [ except in compression of files or audio-video ] .

i am used to have xeon cpu 55xx and 56xx with dual cpu mainboard from tyan or supermicro , i took a x79 lga 2011 with a 3820 cpu to have more ' fun " in games .
the xeon even 5520 , is largely better and faster than the 3820 despite its speed is only 2.2Ghz in every thing [ but games ] . the 5660 at 2.8ghz is perfect for games .
i burned two cpu a 5520 and the i73820 . the second was very very very hard to be changed by intel europe , i had to make a topic in intel forum....asking if burned cpu are changed...
at that time the i7 4820 was launched , but the rma never accepted to replace the i73k by the i74k even with few more euros...
i found that very funny by a "box" that declares its high technology is above all...but it gives to customers only the old ...

by the way 1000 euro or dollars for a cpu that is made with few ounces of gold that s crazy , you can have two gpu 290x for that price
with a AMD A10-7850K (3.7 GHz) Black Edition [160 euro] + ASRock Fatal1ty FM2A88X+ Killer - carte-m?re - ATX - Socket FM2 / FM2+ [90 euro] + 4x8 Go of ram [350 euro ]
i wonder what you would prefer ;']

[pumahove]

I'm not saying the bag generates electricity. An antistatic bag prevents electricity from going through the bag and to the device inside. If you're a professional electrical engineer then you should know that this is Faraday cage. External sources of electricity are spread across the outside surface instead of allowing them to go through. So if you have the board on the bag and shoot static electricity at the bag then the charge is spread across the outside surface of the bag due to its design. When that charge gets to the board (ie. solder joint) it can damage components on the boad. You may not even see any visible damage but it's there. The damage becomes apparent once you power on the board.

The contents of an antistatic should be removed at a static-free, grounded bench. Once removed the bag should be placed elsewhere.

Also, depending on the bag's design, the outer surface can be coated with a conductive material in order to create the Faraday cage. So it's possible to cause shorts when the board is placed on top of it and then powered on.

[schmidtbag]

For this particular bag, pumahove is right - it is bad practice to put ESD-sensitive parts on these. It is (relatively) safe to put a motherboard on a bag without any lines on it, since those normally don't have any conductive materials. However, unless the motherboard was powered while sitting on this bag, there's a really low chance this fire started because of it.

[Veto]

I'm not saying the bag generates electricity. An antistatic bag prevents electricity from going through the bag and to the device inside. If you're a professional electrical engineer then you should know that this is Faraday cage.

But you advised Michael against using the bag as a surface, which I would regard as the best available surface, when you are not having a proper conductive ESD mat or tabletop. It is much more likely to have been damaged when handled or put directly on the floor in picture 5....

Don't teach us about Faraday cages. What matters here is how it is handled when outside of the bag - and most people don't have an ESD workstation. Some advise for handling electronics in your home:
- Dont wear synthetic clothing or wool - cotton is best.
- Dont work on a carpet floor or synthetic floor (eg. a plastic mat for chairs)
- Dont wear shoes
- Dont use a wheeled office chair - they are exceptionally bad.
- Lay boards on their ESD bags when not handling :-)
- Equalize potential before handling the board by touching bag or mounting surfaces on the board.
- Handle board by its edges or mounting surfaces - dont touch contact points.
- Equalize potential before assembly by touching both parts at conductive mounting surfaces.
- Only power on equipment when mounted in proper housing or fixture. ESD bags are conductive...
- An unlaquered wooden table and floor is good - but not strictly needed if taking good care.

It is not difficult to assemble you own computer. It just requires some care.
Have fun :-)

[Veto]

For this particular bag, pumahove is right - it is bad practice to put ESD-sensitive parts on these. It is (relatively) safe to put a motherboard on a bag without any lines on it, since those normally don't have any conductive materials. However, unless the motherboard was powered while sitting on this bag, there's a really low chance this fire started because of it.

For ESD sensitive parts conductive is good. You must NEVER place a motherboard on a non-conductive platic bag!
Though I agree ESD is not likely to be the cause of this :-)

[Dukenukemx]

Note to self, do not buy MSI motherboards.

[Michael]

FYI, just heard from a Windows review site owner.... ASUS X99 DELUXE had a power phase blow-up this morning. He contacted me after seeing my story and then coincidentally just happened to his previously-working system.

For those talking about the ESD bag, the motherboard was sitting on there for maybe 30 seconds when my table was full and re-arranging stuff on there.

[GreatEmerald]

This whole rig is nothing but smoke and mirrors!

[dungeon]

FYI, just heard from a Windows review site owner.... ASUS X99 DELUXE had a power phase blow-up this morning. He contacted me after seeing my story and then coincidentally just happened to his previously-working system.

Why not said maybe CPU killed them both

[pumahove]

But you advised Michael against using the bag as a surface, which I would regard as the best available surface, when you are not having a proper conductive ESD mat or tabletop. It is much more likely to have been damaged when handled or put directly on the floor in picture 5....

Don't teach us about Faraday cages. What matters here is how it is handled when outside of the bag - and most people don't have an ESD workstation. Some advise for handling electronics in your home:
- Dont wear synthetic clothing or wool - cotton is best.
- Dont work on a carpet floor or synthetic floor (eg. a plastic mat for chairs)
- Dont wear shoes
- Dont use a wheeled office chair - they are exceptionally bad.
- Lay boards on their ESD bags when not handling :-)
- Equalize potential before handling the board by touching bag or mounting surfaces on the board.
- Handle board by its edges or mounting surfaces - dont touch contact points.
- Equalize potential before assembly by touching both parts at conductive mounting surfaces.
- Only power on equipment when mounted in proper housing or fixture. ESD bags are conductive...
- An unlaquered wooden table and floor is good - but not strictly needed if taking good care.

It is not difficult to assemble you own computer. It just requires some care.
Have fun :-)

If your workplace offers ESD classes you should take it. You shouldn't put bare (even unpowered) boards and chips on top of an ESD bag especially the metallic looking ones (there are several different kinds of ESD bags). It will make things worse during an ESD event (ie. from your hand).