Server Freezing Solid

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org]On Behalf Of Jeremy Chadwick
> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 2:07 AM
> To: Ted Mittelstaedt
> Cc: Chris Maness; freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: Server Freezing Solid
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 02:06:12AM -0800, Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> > > [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org]On Behalf Of Chris Maness
> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 6:43 AM
> > > To: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> > > Subject: Server Freezing Solid
> > >
> > >
> > > I am having a new problem.  I have been running FreeBSD for years with
> > > no crashing.  All of a sudden my server starts crashing with no panic
> > > messages.  I am suspecting hardware because there are no messages, but
> > > the CPU temp is fine.
> > >
> >
> > Take the machine down, take it outside, take the cover off.  Liberally
> > blow all dust out with canned air.  Unseat and reseat ALL connectors,
> > including power, including CPU out of it's socket, including ram.
> > Turn it back on and make sure the power supply fan is operating at full
> > speed.
>
> This is excellent advice.  I do this exact procedure once a year,
> usually before summer, to all desktop systems I have.
>

I atually bought a small portable compressor (designed for running
a nailgun, basically) for this purpose.  $80 at Harbor Freight for
a new one, you can get them cheaper used.  The canned air is really
expensive, you end up using a half a can on a PC.

If you do the compressor, make sure you put a regulator on your
blow gun: 80-120 psi of air coming out of a blowgun is capabable of
blowing components off the circuit boards along with the dust.

The compressor is also very useful for blowing out the air
conditioner coils every year, as well as the refrigerator coils
on the refrigerator.  Doing just this will pay for the compressor
in a few years in energy savings.

Ted