On Thu, 3 Jun 1999, Blaz Antonic wrote:
> > BTW: Why is it that on some machines (286/8086) elks boots, and freezes
> > after displaying login:
> >
> > Any clues?
>
> Yes, solar activity is especially high now (solar maximum that appears
> every 11 years is at its top now) and some machines are easily disturbed
> by electro-magnetic flux that solar spots create. Combined with high
> environmental temperatures and static electricity that comes from
> plastic computer covers and ion-rich metals which are used in some chips
> (CPU for example) they sometimes interfere with electron-free materials
> those chips are wrapped into (ceramic, plastic packages) and this causes
> severe disturbance that causes occasional (unpredictable) electric state
> changes (voltage reversion, or DF diode effect). This stops the current
> flow and computer freezes.
someone is feeling a little BOFHish today ;]
