[TriLUG] Debian Sarge is dying somehow

[Aaron S. Joyner]

Brian Henning wrote:

> ...random hardware problems...
> Before this machine was loaded with Linux, it was a 98 machine that 
> had started to bluescreen uncontrollably.  I was hoping it was a 
> software issue, but this is starting to make me think maybe it's 
> hardware-related.  Does anyone have some input based on what I've just 
> described?  Seen it before and know what is likely the cause, and/or 
> how to fix it?

I'm going to take a stab and guess that's a Pentium II or III era 
machine.  It's probably got bad caps on the motherboard, which result in 
poor power regulation, and thus all kinds of miscellaneous hardware 
problems.  An easy way to check for this is pop open the case, have a 
look at the tall capacitors on the board, and see if they're bulging on 
top, or if they're leaking fluid from the seams on the top, or around 
the bottom.  The electrolytic fluid that's leaking will show up as a 
brown or black colored fluid.  Another possible but less-likely 
candidate is bad memory, which is almost as easy to test - download 
memtest86 from www.memtest86.com, and see how it goes.

Best of luck!
Aaron S. Joyner