Tech Myths: Surveillance and Electrostatic

[marraco]

[I spent about 30 minutes trying to nuke my drive. I did the cat-on-head trick. I walked around in socks. I walked around in wool socks. I tried to moonwalk in wool socks on a faux Persian rug.]

Did you tried to charge you by holding the HD in your hands? (Then there was not differential potential between you and the disk).

If before touching the HD circuit, you touched other part of the disk, or object touching the disk, then most probably you grounded the disk at the same potential than you.

You should also had tried to ground the disk as it is grounded when is screwed and connected to the power source.

Anyway, if air was too conductive, then you would be not allowed to make an enoug strong potential.

Hardware is not packed on costly antistatic bags because manufacturers like to throw away money.

 

[ebattleon]

Living in the tropics i only experienced ESD once in my life, and funny enough it was taking a computer case out of its bag.However it only takes about 600 volts to damage a lot of electronics and that only require the static charge to lift the hair on your forearm so ESD protection is a very good idea.

 

[Greg_77]

ESD could also lower overclocking potential for a computer rig. Although I haven't heard of any cases where that has occurred, it is often the case that over volting damages a processor to the point where it can't work at above (or even at) spec. This damage could also occur potentially from ESD. Just another reason to be careful when working with delicate computer parts.