[clue] [hardware] Erratic boot behavior

[Lorin Ricker]

Good call, Matt -- I've been having similar problem with a couple of 
older systems recently, and the power supplies were at the root each 
time, except one...

If it hadn't turned out to be the PS, I was going to suggest that you 
first/next check the CMOS-RAM "button" or "coin" battery which keeps 
CMOS/EEPROM BIOS memory alive-&-well and the real-time clock ticking 
during power-downs -- usually a CR2032 or (less frequently) a CR2016 3V 
Lithium battery, these usually last "a long time" (two to ten years, 
depending on stuff...).

When this battery starts going weak, you could also see many (all?) of 
the reboot-attempt symptoms you'd originally described.

IMHO/experience, when you start seeing reboot problems, check the CR20XX 
battery first (cheap fix), then the power supply, and only then get into 
deeper, more complex hardware diagnosis.  Just my 2¢ worth!

best regards,
   -- Lorin

On 07/07/2011 08:42 PM, Matt Gushee wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:23 -0600, "Will" <will.sterling at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I agree it sounds like a bad power supply.
> Yep, that was it! I was kinda thinking it couldn't be the power supply
> because (a) it was so erratic, and (b) only seemed to affect booting.
> Shows you how much of a hardware geek I am [not]. And BTW, I think the
> old one must have been barely adequate anyway--it was a mere 200W. Now I
> have 600, and it's almost scary how fast the thing booted up.
> Thanks to all who replied.
> --
> Matt Gushee
> matt at gushee.net <mailto:matt at gushee.net>
>
>
>
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