[SOLVED] Advice Requested: HDDs disconnect when I touch my desk

[WIEZZY]

Hi, I was hoping someone could suggest a solution.
When I come back to my desk (which has a metal frame), a static shock occurs and Windows makes the doo-da-loo (device disconnected) sound. I then discover that my mechanical hard drives have both disconnected (not not the SSDs or anything else). Restarting doesn't solve the problem unless I shut it down completely, wait an hour, and then start it back up. Any ideas on how I can modify my computer/case to be static-proof? No need to mention humidifiers as I am aware of them and have sworn them off.
Thanks!

 

[jay32267]

You need to ground your PCs chassis.
You may have a bad outlet (I think this is most likely).
You may have a bad power cord.
You may even have a faulty PSU.....but I think most likely the outlet.
If you run a wire from the chassis of the PC to a known ground....the problem should go away.

 

[WIEZZY]

Hmm... The outlets are fairly new. Can you give an example of something that would be considered a "known ground"?

 

[jay32267]

Hmm... The outlets are fairly new. Can you give an example of something that would be considered a "known ground"?

A metal water pipe is USUALLY ground.
....and any metal like a stake.....or a metal fence pole pounded into the ground is DEFINITELY a ground.

If the outlets are relatively new...it doesn't mean a wire couldn't have popped loose on the outlet or at the other end.

 

[WIEZZY]

The ground is still attached to the outlet. Not sure about the other end. In any case, I am in an upper floor apartment, so I don't have access to anything like you described. Anything else I could use?

 

[jay32267]

The ground is still attached to the outlet. Not sure about the other end. In any case, I am in an upper floor apartment, so I don't have access to anything like you described. Anything else I could use?

You could try a different outlet.
The further away from the outlet you are using the more likely it's on a different breaker and the more likely I would think it is to be grounded...unless the whole panel box isn't grounded which would be extremely strange and dangerous.
You could literally attach a wire to the case....run it down the side of your building and pound a metal stake into the ground and attach the wire to the stake. This would work....but it might not be practical.

 

[WIEZZY]

I can run an extension cord to another room that's on another breaker, but I'm kind of afraid to test it.

If that doesn't solve it, can you think of a way I could test to make sure it's not a problem with my power cable, PSU, or surge protector it's plugged into? I don't really want to start running wires or hiring electricians until I'm sure it's a problem with the apartment and not some other component?

 

[jay32267]

"I can run an extension cord to another room that's on another breaker, but I'm kind of afraid to test it. "

The only issue you can have with this is....if the extension cord is too long or the gauge of the wire in the extension cord is too small. Then you will get voltage drop at the power supply and it could cause problems. BUT.....I think this is more unlikely than likely....but if you do this....use the shortest thickest extension cord you can get away with.

"If that doesn't solve it, can you think of a way I could test to make sure it's not a problem with my power cable, PSU, or surge protector it's plugged into? "

The only way to be sure is to be SURE....is to make SURE the ground prong on the power plug is going into something grounded.....OR run a wire from the case to a TRUE ground.

You could try the system in another building where you know you have a true ground.

I would be very surprised if the problem doesn't go away if you are grounded properly.

What you are describing is "textbook" for "the case isn't grounded".

 

[WIEZZY]

Ok, I'll mess around with that and see if I can make something work. Thanks for the advice.

 

[LinuxDevice]

If your desk shares the same ground as the PC (you could temporarily connect a wire from the metal desk to the chassis to test), then probably this would be enough (there might be some more ultimate "correct" fix, but sharing chassis ground with desk ground would stop some static charge problems). It does sound like something questionable with the power socket, but I'm wondering if perhaps the spark is going through a USB peripheral, e.g., keyboard/mouse, rather than the power socket? This is why it might be good just to test ground of chassis to table.

 

[WIEZZY]

If your desk shares the same ground as the PC (you could temporarily connect a wire from the metal desk to the chassis to test), then probably this would be enough (there might be some more ultimate "correct" fix, but sharing chassis ground with desk ground would stop some static charge problems). It does sound like something questionable with the power socket, but I'm wondering if perhaps the spark is going through a USB peripheral, e.g., keyboard/mouse, rather than the power socket? This is why it might be good just to test ground of chassis to table.

What do you mean when you say the same ground as the desk. Why would a desk be grounded?

 

[Flayed]

Put some cardboard between the desk and PC case?

 

[LinuxDevice]

What do you mean when you say the same ground as the desk. Why would a desk be grounded?

Ground is more than "earth ground". When speaking of the ground wire on a 3-prong socket, or perhaps a ground for a radio transmitter, we often mean "earth ground". If the desk is wired to the frame of the PC (the PC's ground), then this is not what I would call an "earth ground" (though it could be through the PC's ground prong of the power cable), then the two have a "common" ground. If the desk and PC share a common ground, then static to the desktop should not cause a problem to the PC. When the two do not share a common ground it means that a spark to the metal desk frame can arc over to the keyboard, mouse, or anything else; when the two do share a common ground, then the only time a spark to the desk would cause an arc over to the PC is if you first reach for the keyboard or mouse and the spark goes directly to the peripheral.