[mythtv-users] Track down unstable hardware?

[Brian Wood]

On Wednesday 11 February 2009 17:42:37 jarpublic at gmail.com wrote:

>
> At this point I am getting off topic for this list. It is certainly some
> hardware failure. When it fails I can't get it to reboot. When I try to
> boot from a live CD I get the same kernel panic. However, I would hate get
> rid of the whole system, just because I am too ignorant to track down
> exactly which pieced of hardware is failing. Does anybody know a good linux
> list that may be able to help me track down which bit of hardware is going
> bad? It is especially challenging because if I let the system sit for a
> while it will boot up an work fine for some some indeterminate amount of
> time. I have used lm-sensors to track temps and nothing seems to be hot,
> all of the fans are running, and I have checked all of the drives for bad
> blocks. I don't know what else to do at this point. I don't want to bother
> the list anymore but does somebody know the right group to bother about
> troubleshooting linux hardware?

A machine that always works after being off for a while probably has some sort 
of thermal problem. Sensors are seldom helpful, as this could be on just 
about anything, chips, resistors, or even solder connections.

You might try cooling various components with freeze-spray, that sometimes 
helps identify this sort of trouble. Remember that if the problem is on a 
chip die or the like it will take several seconds at least before things 
start to work after you spray it. Don't be impatient, or you will have 
sprayed lots of components and not know which one it was if it starts 
working.

Otherwise, unless you have a lab full of test gear, the only practical 
troubleshooting method is substitution, replace things one by one with known 
good replacements until you find the problem.

I'd suspect the PSU first, but YMMV.

-- 
beww
beww at beww.org