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solitarycow

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 5, 2004
39
0
Pittsburgh, PA
Everytime I start walking around the room I come back to my Powerbook and I get shocked. Does anyone else have this problem? Can't possibly be good for the laptop could it?
 
You're probably just picking static electricity as you're walking around your room. I don't think it does anything to the laptop. The case is isolated from the rest of the parts inside. There have, however, been reports of PowerBooks actually shocking people. Nothing big, just minor shocks. If you think its the PB, and not you causing the shocks, do a search of the forums to find the thread.
 
I also have had that problem. In the end, I just made sure to touch something else that was grounded. Better to shock the endtable than the PB.

I would also add that I think that such shocks may have rendered a new battery (for my G3 Lombard) useless. Can't actually prove it, but the shocking started shortly after getting the battery, and the battery died shortly after the first few times I shocked the PB. (yes, I also continued to shock the PB after the battery was dead)
 
This happens all the time in my apartment, especially in winter when the heat is on and static builds up more. I tend to walk around with no shoes on so I'm earthing all the time. If not when I touch my PB it gets a shock and knocks out my powermate so I have to unplug and replug it. It's the price to bare for having such beautiful metal machines.
 
PB wakes up from sleep mode due to static electricity

Sometimes static electricity I generate by walking on the carpeted floor reaches the desk on which AL and TI PBs are located. That static electricity wakes up the PBs from the sleep mode (I usually let them in the sleep mode when I am not using them). Does this cause any harm to the PBs? I know it is not good for the PBs. But, I would like to know what type of potential long term problems PBs may have (if any).
 
You can buy an anti-static mat, which is usually used for computer service work, and has a wire to the ground conductor (earth, for the UK audience) of the AC plug-in (mains). If you put your PB on one of these mats, and touch the mat before the keyboard, you should be fine.

Bad things to touch when at a static potential would be any connectors or leads, such as Flash memory cards, RAM modules, USB or firewire connectors.

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com
 
I once shocked the side of my computer and then the blue neon went out... didn't care, as I hated it actually.
 
My last one did it; but the new one doesn't. (The last one was stolen from my car! I know....I did feel a ****!)

Anyway I think it is a fault as it only happend when plugged in. It was only slight, like "static" as not everyone could feel it.

This one is ok! :)
 
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