Okay, geniuses, I need your help
I hear clicks coming out of my speakers occasionally when I move across the carpet – even a few feet away from my desk.
It makes my external hard drive restart.
It has been known sometimes to make the entire computer shut down.
Everything else is working swimmingly.
I AM LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING THIS STOP (before my entire computer is fried).
Should I look for one of those goofy plastic mats? Or might that make it worse?
Notes:
Computer and speakers are plugged into a grounded (the light is on) power strip.
Dave insists on having some sort of grounding pad around our desktop. I don’t know how scientifically accepted it is, but Dave has seen me zap various lamps and electronic devices around the house since he’s known me. We are far beyond the scientific discussion and dedicated to prevention at this point. If you ask him, he will probably say the plastic mat is so his chair rolls easier. He is of course a man of science. *chuckle*
Yup, get a mat. The level of static generated in the vicinity of a computer depends on a lot: The room, materials, weather, wiring, and even the individual (I know it’s not an accepted conclusion, but I’m a firm believer that some people’s electromagnetic qualities make them really bad around computers…oddly, lots of plants in the area can help with that–probably partially because they add humidity). If you can hear it in your speakers, it’s DEFINITELY enough to do damage, whatever’s causing it. Start with an anti-static mat, and plan to go further if that’s not enough. The kinds of computer-disaster caused by static are the WORST!
Luck!!
Yep, you need to somehow insulate the speakers from the floor. Anti-static mats work; so do small blocks of wood placed under the item. You should make sure that the outlets are properly grounded as well (you’d be surprised at how many builders cheat on this step).
If it can make the computer shut down, next time it will just fry some random component inside the computer, and you will be very sad.
You may want to get a grounding touch-point for yourself as well; some guys just seem to carry a lot of static around with them. A lamp would work, or any device (other than your computer) which is connected to ground, which you touch before touching your computer.
Didn’t you always *want* to be a wizard, with sparks flying off your fingertips??? ;-)
Try a mat. Alternatively (and you may want to do this anyway, as the grounding in your outlet appears to be kinda suspect) invest in a UPS. That will smooth out the current a bit, which may be more long-term help.