StaticStatic caused two PCIe ports on my PC to fail.
StaticStatic caused two PCIe ports on my PC to fail.
I unintentionally gave the top of my PC a shock twice (the first was about a month ago and the second yesterday). The display went dark but the machine kept running both times. My system specs are listed on this PCPartPicker page: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/tL68TW. A photo of the damaged computer appeared during my troubleshooting after the first shock. After turning off and restarting the power supply, the screen turned back on, yet Task Manager indicated the 7900 XT wasn’t communicating properly—only integrated graphics were visible. I checked the BIOS and confirmed the GPU wasn’t showing up at all. The PCIe slots are damaged, so it seems the integrated graphics might be using the faulty slot and HDMI port. I’m running out of PCIe options and suspect a possible motherboard, power supply, or ground issue. This has never happened before except for someone damaging a slot and GPU with static electricity to the cooling fan. Anyone else experienced this problem? Do you have any advice on what might be causing it?
Do you not have grounding inside of your home? As in are the sockets actually grounded or is it just a postive and neutral plug? Are you using grounded cabling? If there is no ground you may want to install a grounding wire from the case to something in the room so it stops doing this. It's also a GENUINE SAFETY HAZARD for your life not having grounded outlets on a high power consumption device.
The PSU cable is connected to ground? The display remains grounded? Have you experimented with another DC cable? Low-cost options may allow neutral leakage.
The top of the PC isn't clearly defined. Can you recall precisely where you made contact when the shocks occurred? If you jolted the computer case, it should be safe as it functions like a Faraday cage to shield internal parts. Touching a button or USB port might lead to issues such as damaged regulators or components. Remember, electricity flows from one place to another. A shock from the top could have caused a discharge elsewhere (likely on the grounding wire). The source of the shocks could be related to factors like carpets, plastic surfaces, low humidity in winter, or even nearby animals. Collecting static charge is possible with carpets, plastic tables, or furniture. Good luck!
The wifi module typically uses PCIe lanes, which means it's possible that some PCIe slots, devices, or connections may have been damaged. Regarding the static electricity, you might not be aware of its origin. It is rare, but you can always set up a workspace with features to safely handle static discharge and protect your computer.