PC form factor

From: Glenatacme_at_aol.com <(Glenatacme_at_aol.com)>
Date: Fri Jul 2 22:14:04 1999

Hello Dick:

In a message dated 7/2/99 6:15:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time, edick_at_idcomm.com
writes:

> IBM had people who were really worried about noise, hence wouldn't put a
> meaningful fan in the box. That little thing in the PSU (which dies more
> often than any other single component in any PC)

Not to doubt your word, but as owner of a small PC repair shop, my experience
(and records) would suggest that the following components have a higher
failure rate than power supplies or their fans. In order from highest
failure rate:

1) modems -- extremely susceptible to spikes -- our most common repair

2) CD-ROM drives -- easily damaged by jarring the unit -- we sell a lot of
replacements

3) floppy drives -- usually a victim of grit which is sucked in through the
drive by the power supply fan!

Side note: In '88 I had a gig with Gulf Oil/Cumberland Farms. Being a True
Blue shop, MIS insisted on nothing less than PS/2-80s at forty loading
terminals. About three months after installation, the floppies began to
fail. Inspection revealed that since Big Blue, in their wisdom, had failed
to build the little closure flap into the drives (probably saved them 10
cents per unit), these machines were not suitable for use in an industrial
environment without modification (replacing the drive).

Modifying these critters cost IBM a boatload on just this one project; I'm
sure there were many more.

Regards,

Glen Goodwin
0/0
Received on Fri Jul 02 1999 - 22:14:04 BST