Shuttle SB51G repeately crashes and will not post until tilting the box

15 Feb 2005 5:31 AM

bbwannabe

Hi All,
This XPC box had the same problem with SuSE, that it crashed about once
a day and constantly rebooted itself until I tilted the box on its left
edge about 70 degree counterclockwise and held it there about 30
seconds. The box was then able to post and reboot back to normal as if
nothing had gone wrong. After a few weeks, I decided to erase the hard
drive and installed Windows XP SP2 since the box had become too
unreliable as a Linux server.

Now with XP SP2 and the latest bios v.37, the same problem still
occurs. I used MemTest1.5 to check the RAM, which is 1024MB Corsair
PC2700, but found no error. I am also using Motherboard Monitor v.5 to
monitor system temperature and fans. The CPU and case on average at 35C
and 40C repspectively. The fan #3 is arond 3300RPM.

Has anyone experienced the same problem? First I thought the hard drive
was the culprit, but then why can it always reboot back to normal?
Could it be the power supply? If something come loose and by tilting
the box to make it work again then what can they possibly are?

Thanks a lot in advance for any suggestion.

bbwannabe

15 Feb 2005 7:31 PM

Noozer

"bbwannabe" <b**@calcreek.com> wrote in message
news:1108445479.219271.312000@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi All,
> This XPC box had the same problem with SuSE, that it crashed about once
> a day and constantly rebooted itself until I tilted the box on its left
> edge about 70 degree counterclockwise and held it there about 30
> seconds.

- Loose cable/plug/card
- Short circuit (did you drop any screws inside)
- Possible heat issues (Any side vents that would help cool better when the
machine is tilted upwards.

18 Feb 2005 6:16 PM

Steve

On 14 Feb 2005 21:31:19 -0800, "bbwannabe" <b**@calcreek.com> wrote:

>Hi All,
>This XPC box had the same problem with SuSE, that it crashed about once
>a day and constantly rebooted itself until I tilted the box on its left
>edge about 70 degree counterclockwise and held it there about 30
>seconds. The box was then able to post and reboot back to normal as if

<<snip>>

Just one question. How did you ever come up with tilting the box to
see if that worked?

Steve

7 Mar 2005 6:54 PM

bbwannabe

Hi Steve,
Sorry that I did not get back to you sooner. I have been travelling. I
found tilting the box work by accident. After a while of continuation
of rebooting, the XPC stopped posting but the hard drive, fans kept on
spinning. So I thought the hard drive needed some gentle help by moving
the box around a little...

Anyway, I found the culprit. The PS was the problem! I suspected it
could be one of the causes, so I disconnected it from the box but still
with all the power connection. With the power supply held in my left
hand I gave it a big jolt with my right fist <G> while the box was
stuck in the "unposting" state. The problem went away ever since. I did
also order another power supply and couldn't wait for the "old" PS to
act up again so I can replace it. But the box has been running nonstop
ever since. The new PS now just has to wait...

T.

Steve wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

> On 14 Feb 2005 21:31:19 -0800, "bbwannabe" <b**@calcreek.com> wrote:
>
> >Hi All,
> >This XPC box had the same problem with SuSE, that it crashed about
once
> >a day and constantly rebooted itself until I tilted the box on its
left
> >edge about 70 degree counterclockwise and held it there about 30
> >seconds. The box was then able to post and reboot back to normal as
if
> <<snip>>
>
> Just one question. How did you ever come up with tilting the box to
> see if that worked?
>
> Steve