Gateway Parts

How do you handle computer parts such as CPUs and RAM modules without causing ESD Damage to them?

This is my very first attempt at building a computer. I've done a lot of research and this is the only thing I don't quite understand. What I'm really not sure about, though, is how can I actually unwrap the parts from their wrappers/containers and be able to have physical contact(holding them) with the parts themselves with causing any ESD Damage to them.

Public Comments

1. They sell straps that go around your wrist that you can connect to the body of the computer to keep you grounded during installation of the hardware, or just keep your arm rested against it. Either way works.
2. Before removing any parts always touch a bare metal part of the computer so that you discharge and static build up. Never touch the gold connecting parts. You can also get an anti-static wrist strap that you can use to permanently ground yourself. or lastly use an anti static mat.
3. Make sure you ground yourself on something before you handle them but What I do is either wear a static strap (in the shop) or just keep one forarm on the edge of the case while your handling the CPU or ram Home Calls
4. ok if you manage to ESD a part to your cpu you are skilled. I mean common rule if its part of your device don't touch. if its metal part of case touch. it's really hard to do this i mean i have made computers and work on the daily and i have yet to ESD a single thing yet i do make sure to ground myself before handeling anything that might be zapped.
5. Newton has the basic answer. I always put any part on the case, touch both the case and the static bag, then open the bag, and always touch the case first before touching the part. Put the part in or partially in with one hand, while touching the case still. You can use your elbow or arm against the case and use two hands. The ESD comes from your body usually, to the ground in the case. As long as you ground yourself to the case first, you are usually safe. In all the years (30+) I've worked with computers, I've seldom used a ESD strap, and have never blown a component with common sense grounding.