Electric shock with Lenovo -77614EQ

Hello,

Recently 1 Lenovo laptop ( 77614EQ ) was purchased. The system is great with Vista home basic + 160 GB HD and 2GB RAM ( upgraded from 1GB) . Both the click-buttons of the touchpad are metallic. Also Dolby system is placed towards the end towards the operator and is metallic.

Sometimes when I was using the system with connection to live electric supply, I get mild shocks. It was when my finger was touching both the click-buttons of the touchpad at once. Also a few times, from Dolby metallic end. Also it is not consistent and happens once in 3 or 4 hours.

I haven't heard of such shocks with a laptop. Also we got the entire earthing of the home done again as almost all pointed to that aspect. Still it happened once.

I would like to know info if such things are possible. If yes, what is the likely source of the problem and solution? Can it be Electro-static discharge? Is there anything like special adapters?

Thanks for your help.

 

This the season on the east coast for electrostatics and last week I had two big ones to my thinkpad. My thinkpad wasn't phased but those spark are about 30 to 40,000 volts. I have been concerned about this and was thinking about starting a thread on it.

If a thinkpasd had a metal fram, it would be better but it doesn't. Has anyone ever heard of static damage to a thinkpad?

 

I once got a static shock when I touched the USB drive in my Compaq laptop. I believe that is what killed that laptop. Cause afterwards I was unable to use the USB ports and then the Motherboard fried. So be careful.
Tim

 

I've never heard of anything like that

 

Laptops generally aren't electrically grounded at all. So it makes total sense to ground oneself *before* touching the laptop.

A nearby metallic ground point will tend to do the trick to dissipate one's personal static electric potential.

 

A trouble is, I don't have any grounds in my office.

To an extent, I think the internal metal frame provides some protection BUT the finger print reader is a direct conduit to the mother board. I would be really careful in using that in a staticy environment.

I believe you about the USB ports.

 

Any AC appliance in the office that has exposed metal parts and a 3-prong grounded plug can suffice as a ground point.

 

The only electrical appliance in my office is my t61p. Hoever there is a metal wallplate. That will do it.

 

Thanks for all the pointers. I hope Lenovo service-center would look at the issue with all angles, incase I approach them

 

Certainly these issues are fundamental to computer design but I don't think this is a Lenovo issue. Actually it's an issue of environmental conditioning. Computer companies have always specified environmental parameters.