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From: jin@hropus.UUCP (Bear)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: Computer Horror Story
Message-ID: <380@hropus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Mar-86 16:55:03 EST
Article-I.D.: hropus.380
Posted: Wed Mar 26 16:55:03 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Mar-86 05:27:53 EST
References: <706@ihlpl.UUCP> <649@mmm.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 18

> > ... xray machine was behind a plaster wall from the computer (no 
> >shielding at all).  The mail of course came twice a day, which happened
> >to correspond to the times it crashed.
> >
> 	Why would the X-ray machine make the computer crash? If there were
> x-rays getting through, I would think the medical problems would be big
> enough that the bank had better hire a good lawyer to prepare for the
> computer operators' lawsuits.
> 
The x-rays emitted by the machine would not (normally) cause the computer
failure.  The magnetic flux created by the step-up transformers will
wreck havoc with MOS and magnetic media.  My ATM card had to be replaced
almost monthly when I worked near an x-ray machine.
-- 
			Jerry Natowitz
			ihnp4!houxm!hropus!jin (official)
			ihnp4!opus!jin         (temporary) 
			Institute for the Study of Non-existent Phenomena