My six-month-old long-haired cat gets extremely energetic on my desk while I'm gaming, and my computer crashes whenever he gets close during these zoomies. The exact trigger seems inconsistent: sometimes he presses keys, but other times he doesn't touch anything. The reset and power buttons are not accessible to him, and the computer ran continuously for two days without crashing while he was home alone.
When it happens, the monitors remain on but freeze, the audio stops, the fans shut down, and both the mouse and keyboard lose power. The cables are secured, and I couldn't reproduce the problem by shaking or jostling the desk. I live in a dry climate, and the cat has long fur, so I'm wondering whether static electricity could be discharging into the computer.
I was able to reproduce a strange symptom by rubbing him near the three USB ports on the front of the case: the computer made the sound of a USB device being connected even though nothing was plugged in. Rubbing my hand there with similar force didn't cause the sound, and this test didn't crash the computer. What should I check or change?
3 Answers
Even if the desk doesn’t move enough to reproduce it, the cat could still be bumping or briefly tugging the keyboard cable or another connector. Try routing the keyboard through a different USB port, preferably one on the back of the motherboard, and keep the front ports covered. Cleaning the ports and using dust caps can reduce accidental contact, but don’t insert metal objects or deliberately repeat the rubbing test while the system is running.
That sounds very much like an electrostatic discharge, especially with long fur and dry air. A static zap can briefly upset or reset USB circuitry, and in some cases it can make the whole system lock up. The USB connection sound is a useful clue that the front USB port or its shield is detecting the discharge. Keep the cat away from the PC while testing, touch a grounded metal part of the case before handling components, and consider raising the room humidity. An anti-static mat or grounding strap may also help, but don’t attach anything questionable directly to household wiring.
The front-panel USB ports and case grounding should be inspected. With the computer powered off and unplugged, check that the front USB connector is firmly seated on the motherboard and that the case screws and power-supply ground connection are secure. If possible, disconnect the front USB header temporarily and see whether the crashes stop. You can also test with the computer connected to a properly grounded outlet and try a different power strip. If the problem continues, the power supply, motherboard, or front USB assembly could be faulty rather than the cat being the only cause.
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