[ale] Losing stability

[Charles Shapiro]

I figure I'll return the stuff I don't install.

-- CHS

On 11/2/06, Calvin Harrigan <charriglists at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
> Charles Shapiro wrote:
> > Hmm. Welp, a couple nights ago I tried running memtest86+ on it (after
> > several failed boot attempts) and it looked good for the 30 minutes or
> > so I had to run it. Looked like a full run would take 2 hours or more.
> >
> > Last night, I was actually home long enough to try again. This time I
> > had no failed boots, but memtest86+ failed consistently.
> >
> > So my current operating plan is to go to MicroSeconds Saturday and buy
> > another stick of memory, a power supply, and a Socket A motherboard.
> > Then I'll easter-egg 'em in starting with the memory until I'm
> > convinced I've  found the trouble.
> >
> > -- CHS
> >
> >
> > On 10/30/06, *Charles Shapiro* <hooterpincher at gmail.com
> > <mailto:hooterpincher at gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> >     My main box at home is having Serious Troubles.  On startup it
> >     often will hang (no screen output) with the CD light lit steady
> >     until I press & hold the "off" switch to retry. Other behaviors
> >     include appearing to start up and then emitting random beeps
> >     through the speaker with no screen output, or giving random core
> >     dumps on various scripts in /etc/init.d.  I've also experienced
> >     spontaneous reboots and random hangs/program failures in X
> >     windows.  The "memory speed" number given in the initial startup
> >     screen sometimes changes from boot-up to boot-up as well.  The
> >     system is a home-brew about 4 years old and lightly used; leadtek
> >     WinFast K-series MB, athlon chip, cheap simple video card, single
> >     512 MB DRAM stick. Processor temperatures appear to be within
> >     acceptable ranges, at least according to the "syshealth" part of
> >     the BIOS. I've enabled the full memory test in the POST, but so
> >     far that hasn't picked up any problems.
> >
> >     I'm thinking that the problem is either memory or motherboard.
> >     I've removed, air-blasted, and re-seated the memory stick in a new
> >     slot without change in behavior. At  this point I'm considering
> >     getting some new memory and, if that doesn't change the behavior,
> >     replacing the motherboard.
> >
> >     Does this seem reasonable? The clock appears steady, so I'm
> >     assuming the BIOS battery is OK, but perhaps that's a factor?
> >
> >     -- CHS
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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> > http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> Seems like an expensive route.  Why not just start with the memory?
>
> Calvin...
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