How do I stop having static discharge problems with my computer?

Cheapest? Buy a humidifier and get the humidity inside up above 35% or so.

You're not going to eliminate static, and you're probably not damaging anything when this happens. Something is screwy with the wiring inside your case, which is causing a short when static discharges-- poor grounding, a wire touching the case, maybe it's shorting out the reset button on the case. Just to clarify, a couple of questions: Was the old computer rebooting due to static? Did you build the new computer from scratch, or was it pre-built? If only the new computer is rebooting and you built it yourself, you might want to take it into a computer shop and have them check the wiring inside to make sure everything is hooked together properly and you don't have any shorts. Another option might be to go back to the old case.

Just to emphasize: Static shouldn't cause your computer to reboot if you don't have your hands inside the case when it happens. If it is, something is wrong with the computer. You need to fix what's wrong with the computer instead of worrying about static.

Are you wearing slippers? I find that my slippers cause me to build up static, and when I touch my camera, it freaks out. I've now made it a point to take off my slippers before using the camera, and that has solved the problems.

I used to live in a very dry winter climate, and I sympathize with your static problem. The solution really is more humidity. A home humidifier isn't super-expensive and you will feel better with more humidity in the air too.

It doesn't sound like you're even touching a part of your computer when this happens. You just touch a metal part of your chair - and you don't have a hand on a wired keyboard or mouse or anything, right? - and the chair zaps you, but somehow that affects the computer? That seems very strange.

http://ask.metafilter.com/204598/How-do-I-stop-having-static-discharge-problems-with-my-computer#2949077: "I'd try an anti-static chair mat." Seems like most anti-static floor mats have a warning http://www.americanfloormats.com/anti-static-desk-chair-mats/ "Please note that these mats will NOT protect against a static discharge after walking around and then stepping on the chair mat; it will only help prevent charges from being built up initially while seated" or similar, and I'm having both problems, so a chair mat seems like a big expense without a real solution. http://ask.metafilter.com/204598/How-do-I-stop-having-static-discharge-problems-with-my-computer#2949115: Was the old computer rebooting due to static? Did you build the new computer from scratch, or was it pre-built?Yes, the old computer was rebooting due to static. It wasn't doing so as much in the new place (the place with hardwood floors), but it did happen occasionally. I built the new computer myself, with the help of a knowledgeable friend, in mid-November. Just to emphasize: Static shouldn't cause your computer to reboot if you don't have your hands inside the case when it happens. If it is, something is wrong with the computer. You need to fix what's wrong with the computer instead of worrying about static.I'm wondering if it has something to do with the power strip. I'm using a fairly expensive Belkin power strip for the computer and its peripherals. That's the only thing that's on the floor near the chair. But while the strip is dirty, it doesn't have any broken insulation that I can see. There was a power cable for the old computer still plugged into it, and that cable was lying on the floor, not connected to anything; I unplugged it, so I'll see if that helps at all. http://ask.metafilter.com/204598/How-do-I-stop-having-static-discharge-problems-with-my-computer#2949243: It doesn't sound like you're even touching a part of your computer when this happens. You just touch a metal part of your chair - and you don't have a hand on a wired keyboard or mouse or anything, right? - and the chair zaps you, but somehow that affects the computer? That seems very strange.Yes, exactly. As far as I can tell, no component of the computer except the power strip (as described above) is anywhere near the chair when this happens. The computer case itself is on top of a wooden desk, for &*($'s sake. I'm also trying using a humidifier; hopefully that'll help. But does that mean running it throughout the entire winter?

FWIW, you should be touching metal parts of the chair, not avoiding it. You should be touching anything metal to discharge yourself. You could get a http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004Z5D1/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/ to insure constant ground. Ideally, you'd ground your computer's metal case, yourself, and the chair. But the posters above are right. Your computer shouldn't reset due to static discharge.

"FWIW, you should be touching metal parts of the chair, not avoiding it." Exactly, and that's a big part of what's so frustrating. I have a grounding strap, and carefully used it throughout the build process, but the grounding strap wouldn't help when I'm walking around and then come back. "Your computer shouldn't reset due to static discharge." I agree. I can't figure out what's causing it, however.