#HELP – System Lock!
11 messages in this thread
Ahhh… hardware is a nightmare, isn't it? You're a better man than I,
Gunga Din. I've got two computers… a Windows machine and a Phar Lap
machine. And never the twain shall meet. This allows me to live my life
in blissful ignorance of the real world… especially since the only two
programs I run on my Phar Lap machine are 3DS and Ani Pro.
I'm very glad you're up and running. Have fun!
– G
Just a note, I had a similar problem once when my Weitek had partially
worked its way out of the socket. 3DS would try to start up, then it would
stop and give me a message saying my 3DS.SET file had an invalid parameter.
I would comment out that parameter and it would stop at some other
parameter later on. After commenting out a couple of parameters, it would
finally let me into 3DS, but would soon lock up when I tried any functions.
Not suspecting the MathCo, and working under a deadline, I stripped every
piece of hardware out of my 386, testing it each time, with no success.
Eventually around 1:00 in the morning I noticed the loose Weitek…sick.
I've heard this story about a dozen times now… the math coprocessor is
the last thing people think to look at, since the program appears to be
running.
Hardware is a nightmare.
– G
Mike – any theories on how a math chip works itself out of its socket?
Dave <… there's a thesis in here…>
Dave,
Math chips get out the same way other chips do. Heat, cool, heat,
cool. Suckers tend to creep along while doing so. Even so, I haven't yet
experienced a Weitek budging at all once they're in.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Hmmm…. isn't physics strange! I've never encountered such a thing. I have
visions of these little thingies flexing their legs to get out of their
sockets and then wandering around the motherboard.
Dave <gee… I hope they can't get out!>
Dave,
You must keep your computer on all the time, no thermal cycling, thats
good. less stress.
But, watch that fan, I had one go out the other day and it would lock up
re-boot any time it felt like it. I didn't know what to think till I pulled
out a hot floppy.
James
Wow – James, you must have a quieter fan than I do!! It sounds like a damned
elevator in here!!
Yes, mine stays on pretty well all the time. Only gets turned off when I go
on holiday. Been running since 1949 (ha ha).
Dave <… would you believe 1989?>
Dave,
with 4 hard disks spinning it's hard to hear the fan, that and two other
systems in the same area don't help.
James
Dave, on the topic of how a math chip works its way out of its socket, it's
been proposed that the continuous heating and cooling (turning the computer
on and off, in other words) is enough is gradually work the chip out. At
any rate, I went two years just fine, then suddenly my Weitek had jumped
its socket. I pushed it back down, and all's okay. It happens, I guess.
–PhilD
Heating & Cooling of the motherboard being turned on and off does it most
of the time.
Mike