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    I got a static shock while touching my docking station - any chance it was damaged?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by slnotebook, Jun 7, 2016.

  1. slnotebook

    slnotebook Notebook Consultant

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    I got a brand new docking station today. I took it out of the box, and then I took it out of its plastic bag. Immediately after taking it out of its plastic bag, I heard a static shock (surprising, since it's almost summer and somewhat humid here). I think the static shock came from touching a screw on the bottom of the docking station. Is there any chance this may have caused any damage to the docking station?
     
    slnotebook, Jun 7, 2016
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  2. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Very, very unlikely (nothing was hooked up to it).​
     
    tilleroftheearth, Jun 7, 2016
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  3. alexhawker

    alexhawker Spent Gladiator

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    Taking the plastic bag off the dock could have created the static charge


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    alexhawker, Jun 7, 2016
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  4. slnotebook

    slnotebook Notebook Consultant

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    Yeah nothing was hooked up to it, but the docking station still has electrical components that could possibly have been damaged right? Is it any different than if I had touched a laptop and got a static shock?

    I think that's exactly what happened.
     
    slnotebook, Jun 7, 2016
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  5. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    The electrical components didn't zap you. The surface of the DS did. The components were not in the circuit path at all.

    A notebook is different, granted. It has more sensitive components and a built in power source. However, it's design takes that into consideration too. ;)

     
    tilleroftheearth, Jun 7, 2016
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  6. slnotebook

    slnotebook Notebook Consultant

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    It looks like one of the USB ports on the docking station is defective, possibly from that static shock. When I plug a USB drive into that port, I can hear the Windows "do dun" sound effect, but the drive doesn't show up in Windows Explorer. The drive shows up when I plug it into the other USB ports.
     
    slnotebook, Jun 12, 2016
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  7. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Which docking station are we talking about? Which USB drive? Externally powered?

    Does the drive show up in the Computer Management / Disk Management console?
     
    tilleroftheearth, Jun 12, 2016
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  8. slnotebook

    slnotebook Notebook Consultant

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    It is this docking station: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/mpc/oas/product-detail.html?oid=5271586

    It is a USB thumb drive, not externally powered. The USB port seems flaky - on a few occasions it has detected the drive (shows up in the Disk Management console), but on many occasions it does not detect the drive when I plug it in. The other USB ports always detect the drive.
     
    slnotebook, Jun 12, 2016
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  9. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    @slnotebook seems a manufacturing fault. You should demand replacement, or partial refund. But first - if there's a power button on the station, try disconnecting it and pressing the button for 10 seconds, it may help; otherwise, remove the battery from your notebook, dock it, and press the power button on it for 10 seconds.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2016
    Starlight5, Jun 12, 2016
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  10. slnotebook

    slnotebook Notebook Consultant

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    I tried disconnecting the docking station and pressing the power button for 10 seconds. Now I am seeing the problem randomly with all the USB ports - sometimes they detect the USB drive, sometimes they don't. I'll ask for a replacement docking station.
     
    slnotebook, Jun 13, 2016
    #10