[Cialug] Hardware Problem

Wed Aug 10 13:02:41 CDT 2011

You could have a voltage issue, could be in the power supply, or on the
motherboard. Look for bulging / domed / leaning / leaking capacitors on the
motherboard, that's usually an indicator.

If you have access to a power supply voltage tester, give that a try too.

-dc

On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 12:52 PM, <murraymckee at wellsfargo.com> wrote:

> OK, this isn’t Linux specific, but I’m still hoping that one of you experts
> with more PC hardware experience that I have can give me a clue what I’m up
> against and what to do about it.****
>
> ** **
>
> My main home computer runs Windoze XP and is usually up 24 X 7.  I reboot
> it about once every 3 weeks or so.  It’s up all the time because it’s
> running the radio equivalent of Myth TV, to record shows we aren’t able to
> listen to when they’re broadcast.  ****
>
> ** **
>
> I had a problem a month ago where some procedure with a long name returned
> an unacceptable error and caused the system to go to a blue screen with the
> long procedure name on it and a bunch of other text.  If I rebooted the
> computer it would come back to the same screen with a multiple other
> procedure names, one each time it came to that screen.****
>
> ** **
>
> I took it in to have it repaired and a bad memory card was discovered and
> replaced.  The CD / DVD drive was not writing anymore and it was replaced at
> the same time.****
>
> ** **
>
> In less than a week it happened again.  This time they ran the memory check
> for 36 hours and discovered nothing.  SO they concluded it must be a
> software problem.  The hard drive was reformatted and the OS reinstalled and
> patched up to date.  Fortunately the drive was backed up to an external (USB
> connected) disk so I didn’t lose data.  I’ve been reinstalling applications
> and restoring data since then, although nothing in the last week – 10 days,
> we were out of town for several days, returning Monday evening.  I’m still
> not done reinstalling yet.****
>
> ** **
>
> Last night it was at the same blue screen indicating that the computer had
> stopped to save the system.****
>
> ** **
>
> I got out my Ubuntu 8.04 CD and ran memory check for 30 minutes and it
> found nothing.  It said _MEMTEST86+ v1.70 on a green background in the upper
> left hand corner of the screen and the underscore and plus sign were
> blinking red.****
>
> ** **
>
> I tried rebooting Windoze again and before the desktop appeared it would go
> back and reboot again, and again, and again . . .****
>
> ** **
>
> So I tried booting from the CD and after the “loading Linux kernel” went
> from 0% to 100% the screen went black and there was a blinking cursor in the
> upper left hand corner, but the computer did not respond to either the
> keyboard or mouse.  OK, not responding to the mouse was not surprising, but
> no matter what I typed, nothing on the screen changed.  The hard drive had
> spun down to a stop before I tried to boot Linux and did not spin back up
> during this process.****
>
> ** **
>
> I hit the interrupt button on the front of the tower to force a reboot
> again and restarted the memory test, and let it run all night.  When I
> looked this morning it had run almost 9 hours and reported no errors.****
>
> ** **
>
> Being a glutton for punishment I poked the interrupt button again and
> rebooted Windoze and it came up and I was able to dial the modem and
> download e-mail again.  Before when this happened I’d have to leave it shut
> off for several hours before windoze would boot again.  It didn’t occur to
> me to run the memory test on my own before.****
>
> ** **
>
> I have used this CD to boot this computer before and it has worked.
> Although I have not tried to run Linux from the CD since I replaced the CD /
> DVD drive.  I’ve been too busy reinstalling and restoring.  But it will load
> and run the memory test from the CD.****
>
> ** **
>
> So, based on the memory testing, I’m thinking this is not a memory problem,
> and since it dies under both OSs it’s not a software problem.  And since the
> OSs are on different devices it’s not a hard drive or CD drive problem.
> Both are IDE.  I think the boot order is floppy, CD/DVD, USB, hard drive if
> that makes any difference.****
>
> ** **
>
> My wife doesn’t want to learn Linux so I didn’t try rebooting Linux this
> morning.  I left Windoze up so she could check her e-mail when she got a
> chance.****
>
> ** **
>
> What would be not running and cool off while a memory test was continuously
> running so that it would work when I tried it this morning?  Or is there
> some other explanation that I haven’t thought of?  How would I check it to
> see if that’s the problem?****
>
> ** **
>
> I’m sorry about being so long winded.  I thought I’d pass along all that
> seemed pertinent to give you the best chance of success at diagnosing my
> PC’s problem.  Any assistance you can render would be much appreciated.***
> *
>
> Murray McKee
> Operating Systems Engineer
> TPF Systems****
>
> Wells Fargo Mainframe / Midrange Services
> 800 Walnut Street
> MAC F4030-037
> Des Moines, IA 50309-3605
> WORK (515)557-6127 Cell* *(515) 343-6630  FAX (515) 557-6046
> MurrayMcKee at WellsFargo.com
> *"This message may contain confidential and / or privileged information.
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>
> ** **
>
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