On 06/02/12 19:10, Isaac Close wrote:
> On 06/02/2012 18:09, Rob Malpass wrote:
>>
>> Hi all
>>
>> As you may remember from my post last week, my Ubuntu machine's HD
>> died. Despite a brand new HDD I'm having intermittent problems
>> ranging from install failing to complete with another HDD error to the
>> BIOS not detecting the drive at all.
>>
>> I have literally just tried a new SATA data cable and all (so far
>> touch wood!) seems well. The thing is - if the problem persists -
>> what part should I look at replacing next? The PSU? The mobo? Could
>> this be some sort of mains AC problem and would a new surge protector
>> be more the order of the day? I should add I have several other
>> boxes on the same ring main that appear to be working fine.
>>
>> Are these "new" (yada yada I know I'm not exactly Mr Current Affairs)
>> SATA data cables any better or worse for bad connections than other
>> types of BUS e.g. usb or even pata ide?
>>
>>
> These days, it is PSU's that seem to go bandy more frequently than
> anything else and it is usually intermittent.
>
> I use a PSU testing tool (a half decent one with an LCD display costs
> around 40 GBP), its proved a great investment. And, I have dealt with a
> few thousand machines in the past couple of years or so and my findings
> appear consistent.
A most perplexing intermittent fault turned out to be an under spec
PSU (older PC) and a second DVD RW drive with a rather high power
need. Mostly the PC worked well. But on some occasions, - installation
process was typical - there were inexplicable probs. The DVD drive
itself was no problem. Nor was the PC, after the DVD drive was removed
and the original single CD drive used. A very marginal problem, and
only repeatable with many many almost statistical tests.
--
alan cocks
Ubuntu user
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