Complete idiot - Memory stick in washing machine

Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,611
Reaction score
8,580
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
I'm probably not the first to do it, but my clothing from last night went into the washing machine (40 degree cyele with spin) including trousers with a HP 8GB memory stick, with some 4GB of important data onboard.

Apart from the full drying out of it - it'll spend at least a day in the last of the summer sun, I'll report if the data has survived the 30 minutes or so in washing powder and water.

What an idiot !
 
G

geordiejohn

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
105
Reaction score
21
Points
18
Age
62
My Satellite Setup
Sky sd and penta 85cm motorised with ancient spiderbox 900HD
My Location
uk
I have a 32 gig memory stick that has been in the wash at least twice, possibly more and it is fine.
 
Vipersan

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Fully dried out it should be fine ..to read.
However ..if there is any important data on it ..
back it up as soon asap ...
corrosion can progress due to residues on the pcb ..even after drying.
rgds
VS
 
Topper

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,992
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
Yes I am sure others have, fortunately I, so far, have not however I have read that even once you think it is dry, by whatever method you use, it is worthwhile putting it in a jam jar of dried rice for 24 hours or a dessicator if you have access to one
 
PaulR

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,024
Reaction score
4,046
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
Hope you gave the stick a few rinses in plain cold water first to remove any traces of washing chemicals before drying out.
 
Captain Jack

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,807
Reaction score
7,991
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Should be fine. It's being switched on, causing shorts, and subsequent corrosion that causes issues.
 
Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,611
Reaction score
8,580
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
PaulR said:
Hope you gave the stick a few rinses in plain cold water first to remove any traces of washing chemicals before drying out.
Click to expand...

Not manually, though it did go through a thorough rinse cycle (twice) last night.
 
Topper

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,992
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
Analoguesat

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,794
Reaction score
11,249
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
One of our staff did that a while back - it survived the first wash. It didnt survive the second a week later :D
 
dig deep

dig deep

Prince of Birthdays
Staff member
Joined
Sep 28, 2005
Messages
8,972
Reaction score
424
Points
83
My Satellite Setup
Dream7020 and AZ Elite and a few DM800
My Location
Sweden
Maybe it will shrink.
 
sonnetpete

sonnetpete

Grumpy Old Retired Moderator and quiz inquisitor..
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
8,949
Reaction score
3,496
Points
113
Age
73
Website
wordpress.com
My Satellite Setup
Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
Free Sat V8 meter. Sony Bravia 46" LCD, Sony BluRay and Home Cinema.
My Location
Normandy, France
smoggy07

smoggy07

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
945
Reaction score
384
Points
63
Age
40
My Satellite Setup
Sky minidish and Sky + HD 250gig Anytime+ box with full ish appart from sports and movies, Dreambox DM500s clone (Pli Jade3 max var F/W), Motorised 1.1Meter Dish
My Location
middlesbrough, teesside, northeast coast, uk
I've done that before today, I clipped off the plastics and gave it a clean with a bit of methylated spirits on an old tooth brush, when all of the methylated spirits residue had evaporated I plugged it in and backed it up

The usb stick in question was an el'cheapo Tesco jobbie and it still works now
 
Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,611
Reaction score
8,580
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
I'll give it one more evening to dry out fully before plugging in.
 
PaulR

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,024
Reaction score
4,046
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
The experts use propan-2-ol (iso propyl alcohol or IPA) to mop up water traces on circuit boards. Meths is an acceptable substitute.
 
Lazarus

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,084
Reaction score
8,672
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
I bet you remember Carbon Tetrachloride, Paul. Nasty stuff. Smelled of Cabbages.
 
PaulR

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,024
Reaction score
4,046
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
Didn't smell of cabbages to me. Smelled grea-eaaaaat!

And then there's trike, which used to be used in dry cleaning.
 
Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
35,611
Reaction score
8,580
Points
113
Age
59
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
Hmm, plugged in, everything is there, and it all loads up a lot faster :eek:
 
Topper

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,992
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
sonnetpete

sonnetpete

Grumpy Old Retired Moderator and quiz inquisitor..
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
8,949
Reaction score
3,496
Points
113
Age
73
Website
wordpress.com
My Satellite Setup
Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
Free Sat V8 meter. Sony Bravia 46" LCD, Sony BluRay and Home Cinema.
My Location
Normandy, France
Tivù said:
I bet you remember Carbon Tetrachloride
Click to expand...

I remember that, it was the base for a switch cleaner we bought in from RS.....seem to remember it smelled more like very strong pear drops....before I passed out.....
 
Top