AKDV I agree only with part of what you said. I agree entirely with Maxtor's post above, especially the part where he says
As to static electricity, as long as you and the computer are at the same charge state - everythign is cool. If you are in contact with the metal of the case (preferrably the powersupply) you are in touch with the same ground the system board is using.
During the assembly of the PC, I would have discharged any static on the way into the room by touching the heating radiator near the door (with my knuckle - fewer nerve endings than the fingertips!). Unfortunately, I still had to walk across the carpet to the dining table. So if there is any risk present, it's pretty much unavoidable, but small. Only when assembly was complete did I move it to the floor. And as Maxtor says, with the power cord plugged in at least, I would be at the same level of charge as the PC - none - assuming I'd just touched the radiator, and not had too much carpet to walk across.
The second post was finding the "it was plugged in" part equally as funny as it offers zero protection against static.
Either I disagree entirely, or I've misunderstood. With the PC plugged in, as Maxtor says the case is earthed (grounded) and as the mobo is screwed directly into the case on top of nine steel posts, the internal components are grounded too. If I
had picked up any charge, and touched the case, said charge would have been dissipated through the earth. In British homes, the electrical installation is earthed to the plumbing. There's a big terminal attached to the water inlet under my kitchen sink with a green and yellow wire coming off it - that's what that is.
AKDV, I have a question about your PC power cord: Does the plug have 3 pins, or does it have only two? If it has only two (and I suspect that could be the case as many US electrical outlets have only two holes) then I understand your concern. Mine has 3, ensuring that static can never build up.
Maxtor - sound advice, although it's worth noting that British electrical outlets as well as
always having an earth terminal, have a switch so that the electrical supply can be turned off without unplugging the appliance. Advice given
here is to switch off at the mains, but leave the power cord plugged in so that the case is earthed, and static cannot build up, and work on the PC in that state.
But I prefer to make sure everything is discharged, and unplug - even though the Asus mobo has a green power on LED.
Still, it was damp day yesterday, so perhaps all this discussion is moot!
