8 Oct
2007
8 Oct
'07
3:28 p.m.
The fact that PC kit is so cheap that it's not
worth repairing is not
why I don't repair classic machines. It's the reason I /don't know
how/ to repair classic machines.
There's nothing to stop you learning how to do repairs on classics...
it. You
mentioned swapping a DIMM. How can you know if an intermittant
memory problem is a fault in the DIMM or in the memory controller on th=
e
motherboard?
Well, although I realise that's just an example, I can respond using
details of a recent real job.
An AtlhonXP PC works fine with 2 DIMMs. With all 3 slot filled, it
crashes, freezes or hangs. I suspect, from prior experience, a memory
error. So step #1, I get a Linux boot CD with memtest86 on it, so I
can exercise the RAM.
With all 3 DIMMs fitted, memtest gives errors.
With 2 fitted, it's OK.
Try the 3rd on its own: fine.
Try the other 2 on their own: fine.
Try all 3 slots individually: fine.
Summary: any permutation of 2 of the 3 is fine. All the DIMMs
themselves check out fine, including on other machines. But on this
machine, filling all 3 slots makes it unreliable. Given that I don't
have a good motherboard to swap in, the resolution, then, is to
downgrade it to 2 DIMMs & warn the owner not to try 3.
That seems like a reasonable diagnostic process to me, and apart from
fitting or removing the DIMMs, the only tests were done in software.