[chat] RE: [SLUG] Random System Freezes

[Peter Hardy <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(migrating to -chat)

On Thu, 2003-08-07 at 12:17, Jon Biddell wrote:
> -=> On Thu, Aug 07, 2003 at 11:55:59AM +1000, Terry Collins wrote:
> -=> > Think "sick building syndrome". Basically, new 
> -=> office/office works and 
> -=> > factories produce lots of "fumes" that can deposit on 
> -=> nice new shiny 
> -=> > pins and provide an insulating layer of gunk that causes 
> -=> intermittent 
> -=> > problem.
> -=> 
> -=> This reminds me of a story (urban legend?) that I heard 
> -=> from around here at UNSW.
> -=> 
> -=> Someone else probably has the full story (pchubb?), but the 
> -=> gist of it is that there were a lot of single bit errors on 
> -=> one of the old machines that seemed to appear for no 
> -=> reason.  All manner of part swapping was done without success.
> -=> 
> -=> UNSW is in close proximity to Sydney airport, and after a 
> -=> lot of head scratching it turned out that this was being 
> -=> caused by the air traffic control radar sweeping past the 
> -=> machine and inducing errors ... so kind of a sick building syndrome.
> -=> 
> -=> The moral of the story is to always check for high 
> -=> intensity radar in the surrounding area when diagnosing problems ;)
> 
> 
> Most definitely NOT an Urban Ledgend - I was studying there when the
> Faraday Cage was installed around the server room on top of the
> Tower.....
>
> Made mobile phone reception a real bitch when I worked there in the
> early 90's...

Oooo, that could help explain the problems we've had in our office, in
Rosebery with great views of both UNSW and the airport, which have since
become the stuff of legend.

When we first moved in we sat a server on the floor in a corner, and
plugged in an old borrowed 56k mod in Roseberyem for access until the
DSL was turned on.  The connection was terrible.  Dropped packets,
intermittent disconnections, random retraining and connecting at speeds
as low as 9600.

The server was new and had just been built, but we went over the config
with a fine-tooth comb regardless.  We couldn't hear any noise on the
line, but summoned Telstra to check the MDF and the wiring both in the
office, and down to the street.  We replaced numerous cables, as well as
changing the modem for another old borrowed 56k unit.

Then our rack was delivered, and we moved the box, putting ten meters,
one wall and a rack frame between it and it's former location under a
window facing the airport.  It connected first go, and was faultless
until the ADSL was installed.

I'm still scratching my head about it.

-- 
Pete