So is it possible to screw up a computer......

[CorCentral]

I suppose this is either a coincidence (currupt file, etc in Windows) or it actually happened from the static.
Went to unplug the computer the other night (before the storm), and everything was working fine.
The morning after, I touched the computer case and I got a zap (from the house being so dry). I plugged the computer in and it would boot to a certain point after the XP log in screen and then ......Black screen.

Everything's fine now as I had to do a re-install but I want to know if this is possible......

If a computer's totally unplugged and you walk across carpet and touch the outside case. Is it possible it can screw up the HDD?

 

[helloedchen]

Yes.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Anything's possible!

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: GideonX
Yes.

No. Metal case acts as a faraday cage, where electrical charge is limited to the outside.

You're propbably thinking of holding individual components.

 

[CorCentral]

Originally posted by: GideonX
Yes.

I suppose I'll be getting humidifier in the room next year

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: GideonX
Yes.

No. Metal case acts as a faraday cage, where electrical charge is limited to the outside.

You're propbably thinking of holding individual components.

Wrong. Static can still fry connector pins easily, although you are more likely to zap the case if it is plugged in, dissipating the charge to the electrical ground. If it wasn't plugged in, or you have it plugged into a non-grounded outlet, you can definitely cause damage.

You're very unlikely to damage the hard drive by having a static charge jump to the case, however. The drives are not directly connected to ground other than through the power cable. I suppose that if you caused a big enough voltage spike on the ground, you might damage something. But in that case it would probably be dead, not just corrupted.