Electrostatic Discharge 12" PowerBook

[rammorris]

I use by "12 PowerBook at the office. It sits on a glasstop desk and it hooked up to a windows network via ethernet. I get shocked when I touch the aluminum case between 3 and 5 times a day! After the shock the mouse freaks out. It is as though it it attached to a rubber band when I try to move it it snaps back. I have to restart the computer to solve the problem. It has been suggested to me to spray the case with antistatic spray or have it touched grounded metal. These seem like very inelegant solutions. Do I have a lemon? Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[iJon]

just put somethin metal next to you, and touch it, problem solved. by the way, where do you live.

iJon

 

[mymemory]

Try to connect it to a Mac network, you know, may be you got an iBook with some temper, talk to him, it may feel lonely.

 

[cubist]

It's presumably grounded through the power cable. Do you have carpet in your office? Get static spray for the carpet. Use a humidifier. Open a window. The static is the problem, if it weren't for the computer it'd be something else zapping you.

 

[rammorris]

In response to Jon, I live in Houston, Texas. I do have carpet although I am typically rolling around in a chair on a plastic carpet protector. As for the network, I wish it was a mac network. I work in a law office and am the only attorney of 12 that uses a mac. Although being connected to an NT network is imperfect, I don't want to ever go back to windows. Thanks for the advise.

 

[iJon]

Originally posted by rammorris
In response to Jon, I live in Houston, Texas. I do have carpet although I am typically rolling around in a chair on a plastic carpet protector. As for the network, I wish it was a mac network. I work in a law office and am the only attorney of 12 that uses a mac. Although being connected to an NT network is imperfect, I don't want to ever go back to windows. Thanks for the advise.

well in houston is probably really dry and could be a big part of it.

iJon

 

[rammorris]

Actually it is generally pretty humid as we are near the Gulf Coast. I wear leather sole shoes at work. I don't know if that makes it better or worse.

 

[iJon]

Originally posted by rammorris
Actually it is generally pretty humid as we are near the Gulf Coast. I wear leather sole shoes at work. I don't know if that makes it better or worse.

well im not meteorologist. i just remember going to houston and it was hot as hell, iwas just seeing if that could be the problem.

iJon

 

[Mblazened]

hmm

shouldn't blame the computer for this one... more likely you are the one doing damage to it.

Its probably the clothes you are wearing. What materials are your shirts made of?

ESD kills computer parts! beware of the esd bogeyman... bwahahaha

-m

 

[krohde]

i get shocked too

I have to agree. sometimes i get shocked too. zaappp and then its over. i dont have the same problem with the mouse but the zapping does occur once a day, but i just touch the radiator before i get on the computer (or a doorhandle) and its less frequent. I have dogs too and sometimes when ive been peting them, like for when i leave, i go outside to start the car and opening the door zaps me as well. i assume stroking the hairs charges you.

 

[backspinner]

The power adapter doesn't connect to the earth, so the static electricity just flows to the metal body of the laptop, and can cause dammages in the internals. It's better not to scroll over the carpet or plastics since these generate the ESD.

Put a wire from the earth connection next to your desk and discharge yourself before using the laptop!