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From: scott@ubvax.UUCP (Scott Scheiman)
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: General flakiness in Compaq DeskPro
Message-ID: <420@ubvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Jan-86 16:10:05 EST
Article-I.D.: ubvax.420
Posted: Thu Jan 30 16:10:05 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 20:35:41 EST
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Organization: Ungermann-Bass, Inc., Santa Clara, CA
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Xref: watmath net.micro:13664 net.micro.pc:6771

> I've been having some problems lately with my DeskPro....
> 
> I have a humidifier and negative ion generator, so I can probably rule out
> variations in humidity or static charge.  (I'm not completely convinced
> of the latter, as the standard IBM color display I use sits atop the
> system box and generates quite a lot of static electricity on the screen.)

This may not apply to your actual situation, but I don't think using an
ion generator near computer equipment is a very good idea at all.  Those
things GENERATE charged particles, most of which dissipate their charge
on nearby objects.  Ion generators may be used to cancel a static
build-up, but only if the generator produces the opposite charge and
only if it is turned off when neutrality is reached--otherwise, it will
then build up its own charge on the device being neutralized (eg., those
ion-generating "guns" used on phonograph records).

I tried a negative-ion generator at my office once.  The situation was
made worse by the fact that all my furniture was made of metal.  Little
sparks jumped around regularly, and it definitely freaked out my
terminal (just a terminal, mind you--not a full-fledged computer).

I have no idea what's a safe distance between a computer and an ion
generator.  Good luck with your problem.
--
-- 
"Ribbit!"     Scott Scheiman (Beam Me Up, Scotty!)   Industrial Networking Inc.
  `/\/@\/@\/\  ..decvax!decwrl!sun!megatest!ubvax!scott    3990 Freedom Circle
  _\ \ -  / /_           (408) 496-0969                 Santa Clara, CA 95050