Cat causes computer to BSOD just by touching it

imaginewizard

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Hey guys! Here's a curious one for you!

Almost without fail, everytime River walks on or near my laptop, it crashes. Completely blue screens. He doesn't touch the keys and not even the touchpad really, the most he does is walk on the bit below the keyboard. And it crashes.


Pictured shortly after

Anyone have any inkling why? Do cats have some sort of electromagnetic field or something??? OR is my cat just special in his apparently super-hero EMP powers?

It's as hilarious as it is annoying XD 
 

margd

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This was a new one on me but after reading up a bit, I learned that it's not unusual.  The general consensus is that it's caused by static electricity.  Not all cats cause it - you can have two cats in the home and only one will freeze the computer.  It happens, according to armchair experts, because the computer is not adequately grounded.  

I don't know how much of this is true as I suspect many people were guessing.  However, it is true that static electricity can shut a computer down and in the worst cases, even damage it.

One suggested solution is to apply ESD (electrostatic dissipative) film to the computer but I'm not sure how that's practical.   However, you might be able to rig up some panels covered with ESD film nearby and neutralize your cat.  You could also have the grounding tested on the computer and hopefully correct the problem right at the source.  Or, the obvious one, keep your cat away from the computer.  Since my cat is shoving his paw at my keyboard even as I type, I know how well that works out.

Please let us know what you find out and how you eventually resolve the issue. 
 

puddykat

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By the looks of your picture the problem may be two fold - Windows 10 operating system and Bill Gates.

Bill Gates was asked the following:

Do you have a pet? If so what's his/her name?


"We have two dogs. One is Oreo and the other is Nilla. I will say I spend less time with the dogs than the kids do but I really like them (when they are not barking at night and not eating things they are not supposed to and when they are well house trained). I have resisted getting a third dog."

Notice ZERO mention of cats.

So it seems to me that Bill has installed a hidden program that senses cats and just defaults to the BSOD. 
 
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imaginewizard

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This was a new one on me but after reading up a bit, I learned that it's not unusual.  The general consensus is that it's caused by static electricity.  Not all cats cause it - you can have two cats in the home and only one will freeze the computer.  It happens, according to armchair experts, because the computer is not adequately grounded.  

I don't know how much of this is true as I suspect many people were guessing.  However, it is true that static electricity can shut a computer down and in the worst cases, even damage it.

One suggested solution is to apply ESD (electrostatic dissipative) film to the computer but I'm not sure how that's practical.   However, you might be able to rig up some panels covered with ESD film nearby and neutralize your cat.  You could also have the grounding tested on the computer and hopefully correct the problem right at the source.  Or, the obvious one, keep your cat away from the computer.  Since my cat is shoving his paw at my keyboard even as I type, I know how well that works out.

Please let us know what you find out and how you eventually resolve the issue. 
That makes sense. Would also explain why there are times he walks on it and nothing happens. 
 
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imaginewizard

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By the looks of your picture the problem may be two fold - Windows 10 operating system and Bill Gates.

Bill Gates was asked the following:

Do you have a pet? If so what's his/her name?


"We have two dogs. One is Oreo and the other is Nilla. I will say I spend less time with the dogs than the kids do but I really like them (when they are not barking at night and not eating things they are not supposed to and when they are well house trained). I have resisted getting a third dog."

Notice ZERO mention of cats.

So it seems to me that Bill has installed a hidden program that senses cats and just defaults to the BSOD. 
Hahahaha honestly I would not be surprised. 
 
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