[Techtalk] what is bricking?

Carla Schroder carla at bratgrrl.com
Mon Jan 23 23:04:00 UTC 2012


> 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?

> > 
> 
> "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.

I could use a  little Magic Smoke myself from time to time.

Carla


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