Obviously, the more severe the short, the more packets will be dropped, and the more likely that the computer is to time out while waiting on network resources. Another factor is the protocol or protocols that you're running. Some protocols have longer time-out periods and allow for more retries than others. Computers running multiple protocols are also less likely to completely time out while waiting for a response from a network resource that's also running multiple protocols. The easiest way to check for a faulty patch cable is to look at the link light on the back of the PC while jiggling the patch cable.
Most shorts occur where the end is crimped onto the cable.
If the link light goes out while jiggling the cable, you've got a short. You should also repeat the process on the end of the cable that connects to the hub. If the link light doesn't go out, it doesn't necessarily mean that no problem exists. A short may not be severe enough to cause the link light to indicate a failure. If you're having trouble tracking down a short, remove the patch cable from the computer and from the hub.