Why do computer and computer systems lock up or crash?
Assuming the software is not at fault, or that you don't have conflicts caused either by the improper installation of programs, misbehaving TSR programs, or even program addresses, page faults, interrupt, or DMA conflicts between expansion boards, the most common problem is poor contacts either in the computer (including the expansion boards), the keyboard, or in the connectors which attach the computer to its keyboard, printer, scanner, LAN'S, or other peripherals.
Can these crashes be prevented?
Yes, most of them can be prevented. As good as connectors are, they are still the weakest link in your computer's operation. There are hundreds of these connections in a typical computer system. Outside of the obvious ones such as the connector that connects the computer to the printer, or LAN connections, the computer itself is full of electromechanical contacts. These range from the card-edge connectors that are used on the various plug-in cards, to the numerous types of sockets into which IC's are plugged. The interdependence of the components within the computer is such that the erratic operation of virtually any one of the contacts in any of these connectors can "hang', 'crash' or 'lock-up' the computer. What is even more frightening, is where the computer doesn't hang up, vital data or the execution of a program sequence may be altered such that key data is overwritten on a disk and thus lost.
What do these crashes cost?
Many users are not aware of the cumulative costs of computer crashes. But consider: if you're a programmer and have been working on a program for an hour when the computer crashes, and you didn't save anything during that time; the crash just cost you an hour's work, not to mention the additional time required to re-adjust your overview of the program on which you were working. If you're developing program you'll have to call up the previous version, put your brain in reverse, and try to remember just what it was you did during that hour. If you've ever had to d this, then you know just how frustrating it can be. Thus the loss of that hour's work can cost you a lot more than just that hour.
Consider a person processing a batch run of invoices. What was the last invoice that was processed? Did the computer program rewrite the FAT file every time an invoice was processed or was it waiting until the completion of the run to update the directory in the computer? Did your program handle all the interdependent files in an identical manner? Do you even know? Well, if it happened to one of your staff and you have to sort out the mess, you're going to find out the hard way!
Consider someone working on a spreadsheet who didn't save it before the computer crashed! Not only would it be frustrating to have to go back and figure out just where they were in its development at the previous save, if any, but can you be sure that they will be able to match their previous performance?
As you probably know, when a deadline is hanging over your head, it's human nature to try and speed things up by ignoring some of the details which prevent problems, you get "on a roll" and that's when accidents happen. Gee..forgot to save it did you? Now what will the additional delay and a missed deadline cost you?
What about the hidden costs of client dissatisfaction? Could you have lost a number of jobs because you missed a deadline. Sure, you know why it couldn't be met, but does your client understand? Then again, perhaps you couldn't really do your best work because of the pressure or because of the lack of time?
What about an engineer involved in a complex CAD-CAM problem? Can you imagine how he feels when part way through a day of intensive work, his input device freezes leaving several hours work in a non-recoverable state?
Or consider newspaper reporters, working against a deadline. How often have we heard of stories which have gone off into limbo because of a terminal crash?
And then, consider the problems imposed by computer crashes in process control or experimental date acquisition. The disruption in even a fail-safe process control could cost more than the computer; and in data acquisition, the whole experiment might have to be re-started from scratch.
If you're responsible for servicing a system wouldn't you like to increase the reliability of the equipment in your charge? And if your part of a team marketing complex systems think of how an increased reputation for reliability could aid you in the sale of replacement or even new systems!
Too often, people tolerate problems on the basis that so long as their system is just as reliable as the other parties, then that's all they have to achieve. In fact we often run across managers who tell us that on the basis of the proceeding philosophy, 'They don't have any connector reliability problems at all!" But when we talk to their service personnel we find out otherwise.
Connector unreliability is like a time-bomb, waiting to go off in the most unexpected places and at the most unexpected times! Very expensive preventative maintenance programs attempt to stop these unexpected events. But connector problems seem to elude even the most thorough maintenance; perhaps because of the sheer quantity and diversity of the connections in even a simple system.
What can be done to reduce the number of these crashes?
Mainframe computers are usually operated in humidity and temperature controlled rooms using specially filtered and regulated power lines just to obtain reliability. Military computers are designed with special shock-proofed and electrically isolated cases; "Hardened" for use in the field. You probably can't afford the costs of these types of solutions. And you may not realize how vulnerable you are as the complexity of your installation grows; until, one day, it comes to a halt! Often it is at this point that the person responsible for the system is faced with a major re-planning of the system to be sure that the problem does not occur again. At the same time, the system has to be made operational once more as soon as possible! The amount o planning and the re-organization of the system at this point can be very expensive and the words fail-safe often seem very ironical. Usually the planner finds out that some of the older and often key elements in the system may have to be replaced due to diminishing reliability. Are the equivalent new units compatible? After all, there are probably more non-standard standards in the computer industry than anywhere else!
If you need reliability shouldn't you start dealing with the least reliable component in the system? Of course! And that's where our product comes into use; a connector reliability upgrade based on a simple one-time treatment of all the connectors in the computer.
It involves treatment of all the connectors with a "contact enhancer" called Stabilant 22. The use of Stabilant 22 or its isopropyl alcohol-diluted form, Stabilant 22A will make contacts from 10 to 100 times more reliable in operation, eliminating almost all "lock-ups" or crashes caused by connector malfunction. The Stabilants are not use repeatedly like a cleaner, instead they are applied to all the contacts and left in place!
What specific types of failures can it prevent?
When applied to socketed DRAM, RAM or SIMM's it will usually prevent the annoying PARITY ERROR message indicating a bad memory error. When used on the connectors of a hard disk drive it will usually stop intermittent malfunctions in drives that often occur once they warm up. We're sure that you've had error messages indicating that a peripheral device wasn't responding when you know that it was plugged in and turned on! And have you ever considered the slow-down in a LAN or data transfer operation because of the need to re-transmit data that was received incorrectly the first time?
If Stabilant material is not lost during the repeated plugging and unplugging of a connector, the coating should last in excess of 5 to 10 years. Where a number of different connectors are being interchanged in a single socket there will be an obvious need to treat all the units to obtain this life. This is because the vapor pressure of the material is so low that the material is used in space applications.
What is its effective life?
Does the action of Stabilants deteriorate with age or cause contact deterioration?
Our first concern has always been that Stabilants should not cause any problem when used in a system. Not only did we do lab-modeling and accelerated life tests, we delayed the introduction of the material for several years until we satisfied ourselves through field trials that real-life conditions did not show up any unexpected problems for the use of Stabilants.
Stabilants have been used in some applications for over fifteen years now without showing any sign of reduced effectiveness. The material has a high molecular weigh and a very low vapor pressure, thus it is not prone to evaporation.
The Stabilants do not affect elastomers save for some slight swelling of some materials. The diluants (either isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol) usually is responsible for any swelling problem, although the potential for this is gone as soon as the alcohol evaporates. Nor are plastics generally affected. There are a few restrictions, but they are very minor. For example we don't recommend the use of Stabilants on very low-cost resistive-non-heat-cured-paint-film type potentiometers. And we don't recommend that Stabilants be used on switches breaking inductive loads where sparking is present the decomposition temperature of Stabilant 22 is about 220' Celsius.