On Tue, 3 Aug 1999, Jay West wrote: Spray some mild contact cleaner inside the slot and scrub it with a tootbrush if you can reach in that far (or remove the backplane from the chassis). Use some cleaner that preferrably evaporates over time so that none is left in the slot. Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out. Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0! See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details! [Last web site update: 05/25/99]

"Jay West" <jlwest(a)tseinc.com> wrote: ---snip--- Hi Jay Although this sound counter intuitive, I suggests you get a tube of silicone grease ( Dow Corning's DC#4 is good stuff and available at many electrical supply shops ). You put the grease in the connector. Slide the card in and out several times and you'll have good contact. I've used the stuff for years on flaky contacts with good results. In the long term, the grease doesn't dry out and it protects the contacts from oxidation and moisture. Since silicone grease is such a poor lubricant, it tends to work like cutting oil in that it helps in cleaning the contact to make good electrical contact. It also works well to improve contact on those power supply pins that tend to over heat. I don't recommend cleaning gold contacts with erasers. This is a poor long term solution because once the gold layer is broken, electrolytic action between the layer underneath will make a poor contact over time. If you must clean these, use some type of cleaning solvent like automotive break clean ( a nasty dry cleaning fluid, us in ventilated areas only ). Dwight