[GTALUG] computer hardware testing tools.

[Karen Lewellen]

Oh yes, we have gotten some fuse blows..which my landlord expects me to 
manage by sticking my hand into the fuse box.
No labels, and that I might have an issue seeing them seems not to matter 
here.



On Thu, 13 Jul 2023, Don Tai wrote:

> Fridges don't usually damage electronic equipment. I'm in a 70s build
> detached house and my fridge is also on a circuit with other things. If the
> circuit is overdrawn it will trip the fuse. When the fridge is initially
> starting up the compressor my lights will momentarily dim.
>
> Most power surges that I've heard that damage electronic equipment are from
> lightning strikes.
>
> Don
>
> On Thu, 13 Jul 2023 at 10:56, Karen Lewellen via talk <talk at gtalug.org>
> wrote:
>
>> My explanation was not clear.
>> I believe the serge damaged the port  not the cable, which is why I am
>> seeking software to test the integrity of internal things like the
>> motherboard.
>> My apartment is the upper basement of a house, where hydro is a part of my
>> rent.
>> However outlets on this floor seem to share circuits with other things
>> both
>> on this floor and likely in the rest of the house which may not be wired
>> well.  for example the fridge is on an outlet with other  items, so, at
>> least according to those who have already investigated a slight surge or
>> feedback may be being sent.
>> I suspect one of my older mac laptops has paid the price, my stereo which
>> was  just refurbished will  stop, if something elsewhere int the house is
>> turned on those kinds of things.  Have to run extensions because the
>> outlets are all under the radiators etc.
>> The thing is though I cannot be sure  just what is damaged, without a tool
>> to test the internal  items like the board itself.  I only know the
>> machine
>> would not speak, even though sighted help at the time indicated the
>> software  was loading on the screen.
>> Kare
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, 13 Jul 2023, D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk wrote:
>>
>>> | From: Karen Lewellen via talk <talk at gtalug.org>
>>>
>>> | When the issue started, it turned out that the machine was working,
>> but the
>>> | port had stopped.
>>>
>>> Correctly diagnosing a problem is often the first 90% of fixing it.
>>> It often isn't easy.  (Often it is easy, but we don't remember those
>>> events.)
>>>
>>> | However the real issue,  how my landlord manages hydro in my
>> apartment, means
>>> | that the issue as it did last night can start again.
>>>
>>> How does your landlord manage hydro?
>>>
>>> It is unlikely that a hydro problem will damage a serial cable.  I
>>> think that a surge powerful enough to melt copper would first fry the
>>> electronics.
>>>
>>> Serial cables can be damaged by rabbits, by wheely chairs, by desk
>>> drawers, by excessive flexing and other physical trauma.  The
>>> soldering of the connectors can fail due to mechanical stress
>>> (especially home-made cables).  Pins can get bent and even break.
>>> Over the years, contact oxidization can happen.
>>>
>>> <
>> http://melslilzoo.blogspot.com/2016/09/rabbit-proofing-for-your-indoor-rabbit.html
>>>
>>> This contains a picture of a rabbit laying waste to cables on a desk.
>>> My experience is that they find cables on the floor, behind a desk.
>>> Or ones that come too close to their cage.
>>>
>>> | Please do not feel you are not providing solutions, because you have
>> in the
>>> | past just as here.
>>>
>>> I'm glad to be corrected.
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>