[RASMB] computer and IF problems

[Tom Laue]

A lot of these problems stem from the fact that the Beckman software is 
damn near old enough to drink legally in most countries.

John Philo wrote:
> Christine,
>
> I run my XL-I under Windows XP and do not have similar issues with
> absorbance data collection shutting down, and certainly not a blue screen
> condition. The blue screen suggests this might be an intermittent computer
> hardware problem rather than a Beckman software issue. If this computer is
> connected to a network I suggest double-checking that you don't have a
> network back-up starting or some other scheduled activity that is
> interfering.
>
> I know it seems hard to believe but XL-A/I data collection is
> extraordinarily sensitive to disk fragmentation for some reason. You must
> defrag often, even though the defragger may report it is not needed. But
> I've never seen defrag issues cause a blue screen.
>
> With respect to the interference problem, I'm not sure whether what you are
> describing is the same thing, but I do occasionally see the IP data shifted
> and actually wrapped-around so the cell bottom is on the left and the
> meniscus is in the middle or over on the right. (This is a static shift, it
> doesn't change over time). I've found that simply exiting and re-starting
> the GUI sometimes fixes this wrap-around phenomenon, but sometimes I have to
> turn the instrument off and back on too.
>
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rasmb-bounces at rasmb.bbri.org [mailto:rasmb-bounces at rasmb.bbri.org] On
> Behalf Of Schar, Christine
> Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 8:19 AM
> To: rasmb at rasmb.bbri.org
> Subject: [RASMB] computer and IF problems
>
> Hi all
> I started having trouble with my interference optics about a week ago. 
> The meniscus in the fringe pattern moves across the screen from right to
> left.  The absorbance optics show that the meniscus isn't changing.  Since I
> needed to run the instrument and I could use the absorbance optics, I tried
> doing a run with ABS only.  The computer lost the  connection to the AUC and
> stopped collecting scans.  I've tested this several more times and the
> computer will not run for longer than 6 hours before it just shuts off now
> (welcome to the blue screen).  My connections to the AUC seem fine and I
> haven't been able to get the computer to find any errors with the drive.
>  I also tried to restore the computer to an earlier date before I started
> having problems and that didn't help.  I was thinking about reinstalling the
> software.  I have an XLI (2 years old) running on XP Pro.  Has anyone done
> this before?  Or used the Beckman recovery CDs (3 of them?)
>
> One more thing.  I was going through the software I got with the AUC and saw
> the Ghost software.  I have to admit I didn't know what it was nor did I
> ever really know it was on the computer so I do not have a ghost backup of
> the computer in its nascent state.
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.
> Christine Schar
>
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-- 
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824-3544
Phone: 603-862-2459
FAX:   603-862-0031
E-mail: Tom.Laue at unh.edu
www.bitc.unh.edu
www.camis.unh.edu