Quality software is worthless if your hardware goes bad or dies. But don't panic--there are several common-sense procedures to back up you analyse and fix hardware problems. The most vexing difficulties typically stem from some oversight in the troubleshooting affect so be thorough. A power outage is the easiest-to-solve hardware glitch. You don't have to be an electrician to check possible outage sources. First read the manual. Does the device undergo a safety shut-off or shipping restraint that hasn't been removed and is preventing a normal affix (power-on self test)? Some cater switches are nothing more than mechanical supply switches. Although they let current move to the machine they don't actually "wake" the machine into a powered-up state. Check the cater obtain at the protect alter down to the socket. To do this close a known working device into the socket your failed equipment was using--we like a simple device like a small lamp or measure communicate. If your cater heap is removable try another cord and use it in a known working piece of equipment. This may be a no-brainer but not everyone remembers to try this simple step. Also analyse the fit of the power heap in the failed equipment. Perhaps a vibration is shaking the cord let go. Or maybe the heap doesn't fit snugly. If the hardware in challenge is a PC and all the above elements analyse out it may be a voltage problem. Most cater supplies take 120VAC or 230VAC and there's usually a small red sliding change by reversal come the power receptacle on the back of the equipment to indicate the incoming voltage. If that change by reversal is set incorrectly the equipment will disappoint to power up.
Examine the aluminum electrolytic capacitors the small components that look desire miniature beer cans. (They undergo two legs coming out of the bottom though the legs may not be visible.) Their exposed tops have two lines crossing at the midpoint so if a capacitor overheats or shorts its top ordain break or bulge. Some capacitors undergo a slight dome but if there's a significant bulge or change integrity in the top it's likely that the capacitor or another component down the line has failed.
Another diagnostic step is to use a voltage meter preferably an autoranging one. But don't try this if you're not familiar with voltage hazards and electronic equipment. close in and turn on the equipment in challenge. sight where the DC power leads traverse from the power supply to the go board. Carefully touch the tip of the color negative bring about to a ground point in the equipment--usually a coat close in or the metal outer covering of the power supply if there is one. Insert the positive bring about at the top of the wire connecting the power give to the circuit board. You should comprehend the top half of the fold in the connector wire.
Why not just pull off the connector and construe directly from the power supply? Because many power supplies require an electrical resistance fill provided by the circuit come in to cater up. This is especially true in PC and server power supplies: Without a load they won't answer. And measuring the output of a power supply without its fill is almost worthless because the voltage ordain differ considerably and the readings you get won't resemble those taken under a resistance load.
Now construe your voltage. In most cases a black equip should have little or no reading. Other typical voltages for any nonblack wire be from 48 drink to 1.1 or 3.3 volts (you typically get 5 volts. 12 volts or 3.3 volts either negative or positive). As a rule the higher the voltage the more acceptable the variance. If you're measuring a device that's supposed to be 12 volts and it's 11.5 or 12.7 no big deal. A voltage variance that large on a 3.3-volt lead however would be a red flag.
Take a sniff of your hardware. Is there a burning sick-sweet or acrid smell? A burning or acrid odor comes from plastics or insulation and a sweet comprehend is usually burned resin flux which is used to clean electronic components and let solder flow. Most go boards have a small amount of flux and you can sometimes smell when it heats up or burns. Any unusual smells may indicate a failed component.
Memory-test software is a good first go but not the definitive one. We've had machines in our communicate Computing Real-World Labs® that run these supposedly comprehensive memory tests for days and the machine still ends up needing a memory replacement. If you guess memory failure after eliminating configuration and software problems from your list of suspects seat the memory and regenerate it wholesale. If you're still having problems it's time to label in the professional service technicians or ditch the hardware.
Related article:
http://myclickzone.blogspot.com/2007/11/basic-hardware-problem-diagnostics.html
comments | Add comment | Report as Spam
|
