IC8 Becomes Unresponsive Intermittently

Posted by gamry on July 7, 2016

General instability in the operation of the IC8 can be caused by many things. Instability refers to a loss of keyboard and mouse input, loss of video or a Microsoft BSOD that can only be resolved by restarting the computer. These problems can come about from a corrupted operating system installation or from hardware problems. Operating system problem diagnosis is beyond the scope of this note. All internal power connectors and data cables should be checked for looseness. The most likely culprits for hardware failures that cause instability are: power supply failure or too weak, loose cables to hard drive, power supply or potentiostats, failure of power regulation components on the single board computer (SBC). Detecting a weak or bad power supply is not easy because they must be tested under proper load. If a power supply problem is suspected it is best to contact Gamry Technical Support to discuss the options for replacing the power supply. Failure of power regulation components on the SBC is indicated by bulging or oozing capacitors in the vicinity of the processor.