A desktop computer restarts unexpectedly after a slight electrical shock while it is on. What is the most likely cause?

• A. Overheating of the CPU
• B. Power supply failure
• C. Discharged static electricity onto the motherboard due to not grounding
• D. Software corruption

Answer: (C)

Static electricity discharge into an ungrounded system can cause a reset. When a small shock occurs while the computer is on and the chassis isn’t properly grounded, the discharge can couple into the motherboard and power rails, producing a brief transient that forces the system to restart. This kind of spike is most likely to cause a reboot rather than a permanent failure or a gradual overheating shutdown. Overheating would typically slow things down or shut the system off after a thermal limit is reached, and a faulty power supply would usually lead to a loss of power rather than a restart sparked by a shock. Software corruption wouldn’t be triggered by a hardware discharge in this way.

To prevent this, ensure the system is properly grounded, use a grounded outlet or surge protector, and handle components with anti-static precautions (discharge to a grounded metal surface before touching sensitive parts).