1/26/03 1:46:32 AM, Paul <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>In reply to Stephen's mail, d.d. 26 Jan 2003 12:21:17 +1100:
>
>>
>>What if there is a mercury switch in either the PSU or somewhere
within
>>the casing itself that would cause this?
>
>I have been thinking about this also, but I have not been able to
find a
>switch like that. More and more I feel that this is a faulty
>contact/connector or something. I booted from a floppy and
carefully started
>fiddling with the power cables to try and track a broken/nearly
broken one.
>No luck there either.
>(Uptime now, PC still on the side, is 11.33 hours...)
>
>Paul
>
>--
>Never lend books -- nobody ever returns them; the only books I
have
>in my library are those which people have lent me.
>-Anatole France
>
>http://nlpagan.net - Linux by Mandrake - Sylpheed by Hiro
>
>
Here is a old trick that has been used for troubleshooting this
type of problem since the dawn of time, long before PCs since just
after the invention of the printed circuit board almost
prehistoric.
Get your self a brand new pencil with a big new pink eraser.
Next just to be on the safe side wrap the metal cylinder that
holds the eraser on the pencel with a wrap or 2 of electrical
tape. Now you can use the eraser end of the pencil as a safe and
effective probe It will be well insulated to avoid damage to
components and the insulation will also protect you if the pencil
should contact anything that is high voltage. The rubber eraser is
also a great NON SLIP surface to probe components with and the
pencil is thin enough to reach into tight spaces. use it to reach
inside the machine while it is running and wiggle various parts
and points near plug in connectors. Try to use the eraser to
gently push down on parts to simulate the down ward force thet
gravity would create while the machine is on its side and see
where you have to push to make it work or lay the machine on its
side and support it however necessory to alow you to gently push
on parts and see where you need to push to make it stop running.
This should help to pinpoint the problem. You may find that it
is not a bad connection or intermittent short but a cracked
circuit trace on a board, a pain in the butt to repair if that
ends up being the case.
Another use for the pencil eraser is if you find a suspect
connector you can use the eraser to clean contacts to remove
oxides or dirt that can cause this type of problem. The eraser is
mildley abrasive and will pollish up and clean edge connectors on
a circuit board fast and easy.
Good luck, these intermittant problems can be a mind bender.
Marc
Gee this was fun I think that now I may write a book and call
it A Thousand And One Uses For The Number Two Pencil, I am shure
it will be a best seller
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft?
Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
