The Silent Killer! The effect of ESD(electrostatic discharge) on Computers!
By cholo23
@cholo23 (79)
Philippines
March 12, 2010 8:08pm CST
Any opinions about dead PC's? Why in years of using your computers suddenly it comes to end, when you turn on your pc, the power supply will run, the fans will run, the video card will run but your pc still wouldn't turn on. We know there are many causes that makes a pc not to run or turn on. And when you brought your pc to a repair shop and they couldn't fix it, after changing some other parts one by one, they come to conclude that your pc is dead or your motherboard is dead, means you have to change it. And one of the main reason to it is ESD or electrostatic discharge, with just a very small amount of flow of electric current can damage micro circuits in your motherboard and can even kill your pc in time. Through research in the internet there are ways to avoid static discharge when adding hardware to your pc or ways of handling your pc. But one thing I haven't found yet is how to avoid static discharge through usb ports from printers and other external devices, because scratches when inserting a usb can also create static discharge and other devices that we connect to our computer like cellphones that have electricity itself or sudden turn on of a printer connected to a already turn on pc can cause a sudden electric current or static. What should we do about this? Should we put grounds to our pc, monitor, printer? Am I just over reacting? Can anyone enlighten me about this?
3 responses
@Vick77 (488)
• Mexico
13 Mar 10
You need ESD protection only when you have to manipulate the inside parts of the computer, once all installed and closed the case it's not necessary to worry much about ESD.
It can't be possible an electrostatic discharge when you turn on the computer or when you plug anything to it. And not all the parts or components are sensible to ESD, only certain electronic components.
@cholo23 (79)
• Philippines
13 Mar 10
Thank you for the response. But I have just seen now an image of a usb plug through a port showing a static discharge. It shows that the motherboard has an extra ESD protection means less damage to motherboard, the brand name of the board is ASROCK, if you want to see it here's the link http://www.openpinoy.com/shop/step1.php?number=13.
@Vick77 (488)
• Mexico
14 Mar 10
Sorry but I can not see anything in those link...
I'm still thinking the ESD is not too much dangerous in a PC with case closed, It's IMPOSSIBLE to have a really ESD when you touch the on/off button on the case ¿why?... simple, for have a dangerous ESD for the components you have to touch those components itself or the metallic parts of the circuit to give the discharge, and the PC button is completely isolated from the inner electronic components.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Mar 10
i came to look at this discussion in hopes of finding out all about this because i couldnt understand what you were talking about, but reading all the rsponse from your first responder has set my mind at ease. obviously that person knows about the hardware of a pc. perhaps the person you took yours to to be fixed either dont know enough about it or just wanted you to buy a motherboard which my son has said costs nearly as much as the pc especially if they install it. 
