Tech Forum

I remember Dell having a similar problem with capacitors before. Also if you notice the capacitors are bulging they could have also been put on backwards (known from personal experience) and can exploded and start a fire, so I would advise for safety not to use the computer until a replacement is in.

I would expect backward caps to fail very quickly.

I think the issue here is the caps simply couldn't withstand the service they were places. Switching power supplies are rather hard on electrolytic caps. They need to be special for that application if they are to last a normal lifetime.

I'd rate the fire risk as low.

MrC wrote:One other suggestion for what to do while you wait for the new computer to come in is to set up one of the other computers in the stake to run more than one ward on MLS. Sure things will be tight. People will need to learn to share but this will get you through any tough times while you wait.

This may work fine for units in Utah but in other areas where units are spread out hours from each other this not an option.

RussellHltn wrote:Bulging capacitors. Seems like we got a bad lot. Seven out of the nine original machines have succumbed. They were due for replacement next year.

The symptoms are the machine spontaneously shuts down. It may start with needing to be stared more then once to get going. You may also see something like "The last shutdown was due to a thermal event". This is a false message.

I have a side question that has me concerned.

Since we just had our first computer experience this issue last week but not during an MLS session, what are the consequences to MLS if a machine shuts down in this manner? I am aware that corruption of the data base and even curruption of MLS is possible if it is not shut down properly throught the "Exit" button. I assume that if the computer is shutdown suddenly in this manner that this could happen. Have you experienced this for those computers that shut off suddenly?

The reason I ask is that the bishop with the computer problem does not want to use the computer for MLS because the fear that corruption will occur and they will have to spend hours repairing and redoing the damage done. Unfortunately I do not know how long the replacement will take to get here.

jdlessley wrote:I have a side question that has me concerned.

Since we just had our first computer experience this issue last week but not during an MLS session, what are the consequences to MLS if a machine shuts down in this manner? I am aware that corruption of the data base and even curruption of MLS is possible if it is not shut down properly throught the "Exit" button. I assume that if the computer is shutdown suddenly in this manner that this could happen. Have you experienced this for those computers that shut off suddenly?

The reason I ask is that the bishop with the computer problem does not want to use the computer for MLS because the fear that corruption will occur and they will have to spend hours repairing and redoing the damage done. Unfortunately I do not know how long the replacement will take to get here.

MLS handles abnormal shutdowns fairly well in most cases. The vast majority of abnormal shutdowns cause no problems at all. The most common problem problem I have heard of is the problem with the MLS user list being erased. But there is a documented procedure for correcting this problem (see this article on clerk.lds.org).

Corruption of MLS is quite unlikely, even if it is running when the abnormal shutdown occurs. If MLS is not running when the shutdown occurs, I've never heard of problems (short of a hard disk failure, which of course has wide ranging consequences for everything on the computer).

If you keep frequent backups on external media, even if the unlikely corruption occurs, it is easily corrected, with limited loss of work. I'm not sure what this bishop is proposing -- you can't keep the ward running without using MLS. I would recommend extra attention to backups, but otherwise keep using the computer as normal.

As STS, you of course have responsibility to determine if the computer is in need of repair, calculate the cost of repair, and evaluate the proper course of action under policy. A single thermal event is a warning sign, but probably not a justification for repair or replacement. But if it continues to happen, you would need to repair or replace the system.

I'd agree with Alan. I've not had any cases of MLS corruption - at least none that anyone bothered to bring to my attention.

In my experience, you should probably plan for being out two Sundays. The machine will come in in about a week, maybe just a bit longer. But that was of a few months ago.

Thanks for the information. That is a bit more reassuring.

It looks like the ward should get the replacement in 3 to 5 days according to my FM manager.

I think I can convince the bishop that a shutdown during MLS operations may not be as scary as he thinks it will be. He already has last Sunday's offerings to process and may have another this weekend if they don't do them until the replacement gets here.

jdlessley wrote:It looks like the ward should get the replacement in 3 to 5 days according to my FM manager.

And then someone is going to have to set it up. It won't come pre-loaded with the church's software.

Alan_Brown wrote:A single thermal event is a warning sign, but probably not a justification for repair or replacement. But if it continues to happen, you would need to repair or replace the system.

If you have had the computer for five years and have a thermal event, I would make sure it got replaced.

As for the effect on the ward, if you do backups faithfully, the most you will lose is whatever happened during the session where MLS actually crashed. Worse case, you would have to enter a Sunday deposit again. Best case, it happened before or after the deposit was entered and you already had a backup.