[Techtalk] what is bricking?

[Billie Walsh]

On 01/23/2012 03:10 PM, Carla Schroder wrote:
> O gurus, what does it mean to brick a device like a wireless router? Is it
> correct to say it's corrupting the OS to the point where it cannot boot, and
> you cannot re-flash the EEPROM? But if you had a nifty little EEPROM programmer
> device thingy, and could safely pull the chip out of the router, you could
> restore it?
>
> Carla
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Carla Schroder, ace Linux guru and howto author
> 541-932-4817 PT
> carla at tuxcomputing.com
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>

"Bricking" generally refers to turning a functioning device into a 
"brick", aka., a "paper weight". Sometimes this entails letting the 
"Magic Smoke" out of the device if it is electronic\electrical. 
Sometimes it can be repaired but often is not cost effective.

"Magic Smoke" is what makes all electronics work. The magic smoke 
circulates through the circuits so the device works. When you let the 
Magic Smoke out it stops functioning. This is accompanied by an acrid 
smell and usually, but not always, visible smoke escaping from the device.

-- 
“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain 
the  people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the 
government lest it come to dominate our lives and interests”.

- Patrick  Henry -


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