From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Mar 21 18:27:12 2010 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C679D106566C for ; Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:27:12 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from frank@esperance-linux.co.uk) Received: from atmail-10.bnguk.net (atmail-10.bnguk.net [80.74.253.10]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5A2B58FC12 for ; Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:27:12 +0000 (UTC) Received: from 77-44-105-82.xdsl.murphx.net ([77.44.105.82] helo=melon.esperance-linux.co.uk) by atmail-10.bnguk.net with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NtPrT-0001Q3-EM; Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:26:55 +0000 Received: by melon.esperance-linux.co.uk (Postfix, from userid 1001) id 3CEF9FCA4B4; Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:26:55 +0000 (GMT) Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:26:55 +0000 From: Frank Shute To: Lowell Gilbert Message-ID: <20100321182655.GA18786@melon.esperance-linux.co.uk> Mail-Followup-To: Lowell Gilbert , FreeBSD Questions References: <20100321101137.GA8202@melon.esperance-linux.co.uk> <4BA601B6.1050807@onetel.com> <20100321122415.GA8495@melon.esperance-linux.co.uk> <441vfdstyb.fsf@lowell-desk.lan> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <441vfdstyb.fsf@lowell-desk.lan> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.3i X-Face: *}~{PHnDTzvXPe'wl_-f%!@+r5; VLhb':*DsX%wEOPg\fDrXWQJf|2\,92"DdS%63t*BHDyQ|OWo@Gfjcd72eaN!4%NE{0]p)ihQ1MyFNtWL X-Operating-System: FreeBSD 7.2-RELEASE-p4 i386 X-Organisation: 'http://www.shute.org.uk/' Cc: FreeBSD Questions Subject: Re: OT: dead box X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Frank Shute List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:27:12 -0000 On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 09:08:44AM -0400, Lowell Gilbert wrote: > > Frank Shute writes: > > > When I hit the power button I get nothing. None of the fans spin up > > and there's no sign of life. > > Well, that's not a *good* sign... ;-) > > > I'm beginning to think that I might be in for a new motherboard anyway :( > > I think you can safely conclude it isn't an OS problem, at any rate. Yep. FreeBSD doesn't even have a chance to get going! > > Don't try a new motherboard yet, though. > > If the system is critical and you're really desperate to get it back up > ASAP, I'd go with a whole brand-new system. That's to protect against > the possibility that the motherboard isn't the source of the problem, > in which case you could waste time fixing the wrong thing, and possibly > even damage a new motherboard before you recognize the real problem. No, it's not critical. I run 2 machines nowadays, the other tentatively a server but I keep X and associated progs on it up to date for scenarios like the present. > > If you can afford a little more time to isolate the trouble, try > disconnecting the power to the motherboard to make sure the power supply > starts up (I think someone else suggested this earlier, albeit for a > slightly more likely set of symptoms). If not, and if you have a > multimeter, make sure that there's voltage across the switch, and that > there isn't when the switch closes. The power supply should be good but the switch is a possibility so I'll test that. > > > Why do these things strike when you least need them? Damn Murphy and > > his stinking law! > > Murphy never said anything about *when* things go wrong... But the swine said they *would* go wrong...;) > > Sorry if I've gone overboard in following your jocular tone. I realize > that you might be feeling desperate by now, particularly if the machine > really is critical. > As I say, it's not critical but I'd like to get it going. There is always a bit of data on it which is missing on the server and besides that it's the machine that's tweaked to my preferences. Regards, -- Frank Contact info: http://www.shute.org.uk/misc/contact.html