Hi Anna,
"A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing" <g>
Obviously this is written "tongue-in-cheek" ,but there is no need to be
paranoid.
I agree that in itself is an unwanted platform for consumers ,but it only
applies to certain manufacturers
and motherboards that have this and companies that take advantage of it.
The "fritz chip" is a module also known as TPM
See more in links below
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AFritz-chip
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html
http://209.157.64.200/focus/news/707684/posts
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/06/28/ms_palladium_protects_it_vendors/
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749022(WS.10).aspx
While it maybe true that this module is still enabled if you turn off your
computer,
it has nothing to do with grounding of the computer.
If you turn off the power switch ,either on the back of the computer -which
actually switches off the power supply
or on the power bar that you plug your computer into, there will be no power
to the computer.
You will still have the ground wire(pin) connected.
The powers switch only controls (switches) the line and neutral wires of the
circuit ,never the ground wire.
It's actually "illegal" to route the grounding wire through a switch
,except for "isolated circuits",
where leaving it connected could cause electrolysis or galvanic action.
(example would be in boats)
So there is no reason to be concerned about the loss of the grounding
aspect.
There is also no reason to be concerned about somebody turning on you
machine remotely.
These settings are found in the BIOS under LAN settings ,but depend on the
manufacturer and specific BIOS.
You can disable them, so there won't be remote wake-up on the computer.
You can also enable/disable the TPM function. see links below as well.
Regardless ,if you switch off the main power switch ,there's not a person in
the world ,
that can turn on your computer remotely.
As to which motherboards contain the TPM chip, the manufacturer's specs
should tell you.
Some more info:
http://www.wave.com/support/TPM/
Quote: " How do I know if I have a TPM?
To verify if your computer has a TPM you can go into the BIOS and check or
you may go to the vendor's website and search for the product in question to
find out if the TPM is built into the motherboard. Also, if the TPM driver
is installed, then this should show up in the Device Manager (accessible
from Windows Control Panel) under System Devices (XP) or Security Devices
(Vista). "
http://www.sevenforums.com/system-security/59097-bitlocker-what-desktop-mobo-has-tpm.html
http://blog.unlockforus.org/2010/03/how-to-check-if-your-computer-has-tpm.html
From my understanding it's most likely not found in older boards ,but IBM
and some Dell machines
have had it for a long time. Mostly for business oriented machines.
Nevertheless .as mentioned before ,in most cases TPM can be disabled. In the
BIOS as well as in Device manager.
HTH,
Peter E.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "4 computer9f"
Sent: Friday, 13 May, 2011 9:07 PM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [PCBUILD] Mobo withOUT "fritz chip"
Does anyone know whether it is still possible to get a mobo without a fritz
chip?
Mobos that have a fritz chip keep a small amount of current running through
your PC all the time, even when it is turned off. You can no longer turn it
off and leave it plugged in to properly ground it while you work on it.
Also, of course it uses electricity all the time and the fritz chip is
transmitting (like a beacon, as I understand it), to enable the PC to be
turned on remotely by someone else.
I use XP SP2 and will never go further than this with Windows, so I'd like a
new mobo that does NOT contain a fritz chip. Do any of you guys know if
such is available and how you can tell from the specs if it has a fritz chip
or not??
Thank you for any knowledge you can share about this.
AnnaSummers
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