Is it current-gen components, or the case?

[Comdrpopnfresh]

The other day I had a video running on a new build and displayed on a TV (via HDMI). I walked over to the computer (carpeted floor) to pause the video, and went to swipe a piece of dust/lint off of the tower... on first contact I felt a static discharge from my finger, and the computer crashed- white screen with multicolor wavy lines on the screen.

Is this symptomatic of a grounding issue with the case (Silverstone ps08), sensitive vrms/psu, or what? I was a little shocked (no pun intended) that such a trivial static discharge to the outside (top) of a case would make the system fault. When I was building this computer and shopping for boards I noticed some of them had measures to deal with static discharge on front-panel usb ports. I thought that was overhyped too- I've never thought of grounding myself with any computer before plugging in a flash drive, and have never had a problem. Any explanation?

 

[VirtualLarry]

yes, you have a grounding problem.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

yes, you have a grounding problem.

Should I run a small-gauge wire from the case to an exposed screw on the PSU, or what? Thanks.

 

[mfenn]

Should I run a small-gauge wire from the case to an exposed screw on the PSU, or what? Thanks.

Your ground is probably bad at the outlet. Unless you fix that, you won't have a good ground to run a wire to.

 

[piasabird]

You should have a good 3 prong outlet that is grounded. Some old houses/apartments are not grounded that well. I lived in such a house. you can either rewire a grounded 3 prong elec cable to some location in the power circuit that is grounded or buy a grounded outlet and run a ground wire to a location like a grounding rod or a metal water pipe that goes into the ground.

Not all older houses have well grounded circuits or even have conduit for a ground.

 

[piasabird]

At times I have found HDMI cables to be kind of flakey. Sometimes all you need to do is unplug it and plug it back in. I dont know how safe that is for the computer.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Checked the outlet with a tester (didn't pull out the outlet and check the wiring, but either I wired it or an electrician did): it is grounded. This is the first computer I've built that had the case painted on the interior as well. Does this reduce good contact between components? I think the standoffs are even painted.
There is also a PFC-incompatible UPS plugged into a different outlet in the same room (pretty sure the two outlets are on the same circuit).
The TV and the HDMI cable are in the same place they were with the system this one replaced. Never had this issue with the previous system. This one has no discrete graphics installed, so the hdmi cable is plugged directly into the motherboard.

 

[mfenn]

Bust out your multimeter and measure the resistance between various parts of your computer (the spot on the case you touched, the PSU, the outlet ground). If they aren't all near zero, you have found the grounding problem, just narrow it down from there.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Not placing any probes near an outlet tonight. Tomorrow night is probably worse. This may have to wait until Sunday...

 

[Charlie98]

Bust out your multimeter and measure the resistance between various parts of your computer (the spot on the case you touched, the PSU, the outlet ground). If they aren't all near zero, you have found the grounding problem...

This...

Even in newer homes you might dig a little bit...

I'm remoding the hall bath in our 10-year old home and they didn't even have the ground connected in the light fixture.

Although this is probably overkill, when I installed my current TV (and associated audio equipment including my newly built HTPC) I ran a dedicated line from the breaker box to a new wall outlet.

 

[piasabird]

Could also be a bad power supply or the wiring of the case. Something seems off. I have even heard problems with some cases blowing out the USB connectors on the front of the case.

Electronics was never my strongest skill.