pusateri@macbeth.cs.duke.edu (Thomas J. Pusateri) (03/08/90)
I'm having some weird symptoms with my 3b1 and was wondering if any one else had similar problems. I'll be typing along and all of a sudden everything will freeze. The heartbeat LED stops and nothing works. When I cycle power on the machine, it doesn't ever get past the rom initialization. Usually the LEDS stop at the first stage with just the red LED on but occasionally it gets to the GREEN led. This happenned once before and I took the machine completely apart and put it back together and it worked okay again. This only started happenning after I connected an epson rx-80 to the parallel port. It happenned the first time with the 3.51a kernel and this most recent time with the 3.51m kernel. It never happened with the 3.51 standard kernel. I love the machine but I have to admit, its not very reliable. By the way, I don't have any power protection on the machine. I've been told the cheapo surge supressors are junk and can't afford a good power line conditioner yet. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Tom Pusateri Duke University Medical Center pusateri@nbsr.duke.edu
kevin@kosman.UUCP (Kevin O'Gorman) (03/09/90)
In article <18039@duke.cs.duke.edu> pusateri@macbeth.cs.duke.edu (Thomas J. Pusateri) writes: >I'm having some weird symptoms with my 3b1 and was wondering if any >one else had similar problems. > > [description of flakiness] > >This only started happenning after I connected an epson rx-80 to the >parallel port. It happenned the first time with the 3.51a kernel and >this most recent time with the 3.51m kernel. It never happened with >the 3.51 standard kernel. > >I love the machine but I have to admit, its not very reliable. By the >way, I don't have any power protection on the machine. I've been told >the cheapo surge supressors are junk and can't afford a good power >line conditioner yet. I also was having a bunch of 'flakiness' on my 3b1. It would come and go, and I would wonder if it was related to the most recent slight alteration to what was going on or what was connected. It had built up over time, so I got used to it, but finally got worrisome enough that I posted a message much like yours. I got about 3 replies, all suggesting a power supply problem. I have surge protectors, but that's all. Well, I had bought a couple of spare supplies and had never installed them, so I did it right away. This machine has been up solid now for two months, and looks just plain bulletproof. Alerted to this, and paying attention to other traffic on the net, I have come to the conclusion that all sorts of off-the-wall troubles can be caused by a weak 3b1 or 7300 supply. Try to get a spare, or just get someone who knows how to work on your existing supply. They are almost always repairable. -- Kevin O'Gorman ( kevin@kosman.UUCP, kevin%kosman.uucp@nrc.com ) voice: 805-984-8042 Vital Computer Systems, 5115 Beachcomber, Oxnard, CA 93035 Non-Disclaimer: my boss is me, and he stands behind everything I say.
scj@casux4.uucp (Steve Johnson) (03/12/90)
In article <1137@kosman.UUCP> kevin@kosman.UUCP (Kevin O'Gorman) writes: ... > >Well, I had bought a couple of spare supplies and had never installed them, >so I did it right away. This machine has been up solid now for two >months, and looks just plain bulletproof. > >Alerted to this, and paying attention to other traffic on the net, I have >come to the conclusion that all sorts of off-the-wall troubles can be >caused by a weak 3b1 or 7300 supply. ... I don't think that Kevin missed this himself, but for those out there that plan to replace their power supplies, remember to check out those voltages carefully when you install. Both of the 3B1 power supplies I bought recently were badly out of trim (How about +4.3V & +10.5V). Prior postings cover the voltage & pinout assignments, email to me if you want a copy. ___ Steven C. Johnson, Bell Communications Research, Inc. {scj@casux4.custom.bellcore.com (128.96.153.2)} or {bellcore!navaho!scj}