New Hard Drive earthing.

cormie

Hi,
I just bought a new Hard drive off some guy down the country,
He said I have to earth myself by touching a piece of metal off something that is plugged into a wall socket, and then I can touch the hard drive, I unwrapped the hard drive but haven't touched the actual drive yet, it's still in its static wrap.

Do I have to do his every time I want to touch it?

I have never done this before with any of my other hard drives.

Why do I have to do it with this?

What is the full procedure for doing this. Please explain as much as possible.

Thank you!

Occidental

A hard disk is a hard disk. Treat it exactly the same as any other hard disk and you'll be fine.

ChRoMe

Its not just harddrives you should be taking this care when working with ANY component from your pc.

If there is any static electricity stored in your body when you are handling computer parts you run the risk of passing it from you to the device and thus breaking it (thats the real basic layman description).

So lesson is (as your man rightly said) before you go digging around your case touch something metal on the case first to earth yourself. If you are constantly doing working with computer componets and anti-static wrist strap can calm the paranoia.

Its kinda rare that it happens but it will be the one time when your installing your new x800 video card or something!

ChRoMe

cormie

Thanks, I'm using it on a laptop with an external hard drive case through USB so I just touch any peice of metal on the hard drive case and then I can touch the hard drive? now once I touch one, can I take my finger off it or do I need my finger constantly on the metal while holding the HD? I never did this before. Lucky I found out. So just one hand on metal, one hand on the hard drive. how often should I touch plugged in metal if taking a pc apart for example? does the plugged in metal have to be part of what I'm messing with (pc)?
thanks:)

RicardoSmith

Lick your fingers then....

Its rare to have a problem with this, but as ChRoMe says if you do it can be expensive! Do you use a surge protector for the laptop (and the phone cable if using dialup)? You should. personally I've never had a problem with this, but I avoid all the connectors and handling components too much.

However since you seem unconcerned about risking your life (and others) on the m50 never mind damaging or wrecking your car, you'd think a bit a static electric wouldn't bother you in the least. Go on tell us your new route.

Capt'n Midnight

In the UK by law all power sockets now have to have an on/off switch.
Over here the nearest is to get an extension lead and put the plug in upside down - so the earth (big) pin is in and the other two aren't.

Why ?

Thanks to soft power and wake up on lan etc. there is a small chance that if plug in a card the computer will wake up and short out on a card halfway in.

Khannie

I cba with a wrist strap (except in work), so I earth myself and the case by holding a metal part of my case, then (at the same time) holding a nearby radiator. You should be fine after that.

Like the others said, static discharge leading to damage is rare, but expensive

Superman

I like to live life on the edge, i never earth!!!

NotMe

Superman wrote:

I like to live life on the edge, i never earth!!!

Me too. I just hold the component carefully, like with memory I would hold it by the edges. I'd be even less worried about handling hard drives or cd-drives.