Static electricity is a menace to sensitive electronic components such as those found in modern computers. The slightest jolt of static electricity can literally burn out a circuit board or damage a delicate hard drive, leaving the computer effectively dead. In other cases, a spark of static electricity can temporarily (or permanently) render the computer's hard drive, add on card, or other peripheral unusable while the rest of the computer continues on unscathed. Follow these rules and suggestions for preventing and possibly repairing static electricity damage.
Proper Grounding Prevents Most Accidents
Many people have walked up to their computer, touched the power button, and received a static shock yet the computer continued to operate without any problems. This is because the computer's chassis absorbed the static shock. The individual components of a computer however are much more delicate and prone to damage from even the slightest static charge. If the computer case is closed and there is no way to directly touch the interior components then no harm will be done by the occasional finger zap. The problems arise when the cover comes off.
Keep Yourself Grounded While Working Inside The Computer's Case
People that work inside the computer's case are the ones most likely to cause static damage. Most responsible technicians will use a special static grounding strap around their wrist to avoid static damage. This wrist strap channels electricity harmlessly to the ground as it is created rather than building up and then being released all at once into the computer's components. People without a grounding strap can still repair the inside of their computer as long as one hand remains on the metal chassis throughout most of the maintenance.
Static Damage Can Be Tricky
There are times when a computer may experience dangers due to static that are not so easily recognized. One such example that has become a problem with some brands of computer manufacturers is when a thumb drive or other device is inserted into the computer's front USB slot. In some very rare cases a static charge is transferred to the computer when the USB device touched the computer. This charge can make the mouse stop working as well as disable the other peripherals on that USB circuit. In most cases, simply turning off the computer, unplugging it for a minute, and then turning it back on will fix the problem. If this problem happens more than once, the general suggestion is to plug in the USB thumb drive before the computer is turned on for the day. Unfortunately this is one of the rare exceptions in that in most cases, a component that has been damaged by static electricity is often dead and must be replaced.
