* Forwarded (from: o2hardl) by mark lewis using timEd 1.10.y2k+.
* Originally from Bob Ackley to to-os2hardwarel.
* Original dated: Tue Feb 13, 11:29

Replying to a message of os24u{at}wisdomtree.info to All:

 o>  Worked on friend's old Pentium 166 running Warp 3 on weekend.  Box
 o> will freeze each day, sometimes in half an hour, the next 3 hours. No
 o> discernible time frame.   Screen remains displayed at whatever
 o> activity it was at.  Warm reboot unavailable.  Only solution is kill
 o> power switch.   Until it appears to cool down nothing displays when
 o> rebooting.  No hard drive activity, no bios display, screen blank.  No
 o> peripheral drives function.  Cpu and hard drive function as normal
 o> once cool down period has passed.

 o>  Appears one of 3 possibilities:

 o>   1. A chip on board is failing.    Throw away board

This is probably the problem.  If cleaning the thing out with an air can and
verifying that the fan is running doesn't fix it.

 o>    2. Power supply is fluctuating/failing.   Have multimeter to test
 o> voltage.  Is that sufficient?

Probably not.

 o>  How much voltage variance is normal?

If the lights dim noticeably it's too much.
  
 o> 3.  Computer in an old house attached to 2 power bars on 1 electric
 o> outlet.    There must be 6 to 8 plugs attached to the same outlet.
 o>        
 o> Would the computer freeze from too many power attachments on power
 o> bars?

No, but if all those things draw too much juice for the wiring it could affect
the computer.  It could also burn down the house.  Daisy-chaining power strips
is *not* a good idea.

 o>  Fellow is a pensioner who worked on military electronics thirty years
 o> ago and informs me that the draw from all these cords from 1 outlet
 o> would not exceed capacity.

Capacity of what?

 o> Am skeptical of that as I do not believe he realizes the sensitivity of
 o> computers to voltage.

 o> Can other electrical devices attached to same outlet disturb the
 o> computer?

Yes.  But not the ones you've listed (below).  A floor buffer probably would,
particularly given the loading on the circuit; anything with a big motor on it,
maybe even a vacuum cleaner.

 o>   There is the computer, monitor, printer, cable modem,
 o> router, cordless telephone, some type of household battery charger and
 o> perhaps another I can not remember.  Further the cordless phone base
 o> which is an old model (maybe 20 years) sits right beside the computer.  

 o>  I suspect interference from another device but the old fellow thinks
 o> he knows all about electronics compared to myself and will not change
 o> anything on my speculation.  He cannot spend even $20 replacing parts
 o> at present, therefore best option appears trying to remove
 o> interference sources first.   

 o> Am I on the right track?

I'd bet on a bad power supply (inadequate voltage regulation) and/or
overheating inside the box, plus a chip that's about to cr*p out completely.
He needs a new box or a new MB.

I have extras.  Mostly Gateways.  He can have a case, MB and PS for
the cost of shipping (no HD, no FDD and most likely no RAM).
--
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| Fidonet:  Bob Ackley 1:2905/3
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| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.

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