Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Scott <scottrus AT ifndef.com>]

On Fri, Aug 23, 2002 at 01:48:18PM -0400, machett AT ibiblio.org wrote:
> 
> This is a completely inane question, but it has positively consumed my 
> curiosity.
> 
> One of the computers where I work has a penchant for crashing so hard that 
> not even Ctrl-Alt-Del works.  Now, at such times when hitting the power 
> button becomes necessary, I've caught myself counting 15 seconds before 
> restoring power.  Finding this to be an odd sort of thing to do, I took 
> some time to wonder why I did it in the first place.  I vaguely recall from 
> my youthful days of textured monitors with green screens that, when 
> resetting a system, one should wait 15s. for ... and this is where my vague 
> memory fails me.
> 
> Is my memory faulty or was there indeed some valid reason back in the day 
> for waiting 15s. before restoring power to a computer?

Most of the time the power switch on these newer boxes isn't directly
connected to the power supply. It runs through the mobo and it's what I
think of as a 'soft power switch' since it won't really turn the power
supply on or off. If you want to that try unplugging the box for a few
seconds or looking for a power switch located on the power supply at the
back of the system.

Giving 5 or 15 seconds of wait is a good thing IMHO. It gives hard drives
and fans time to spin down and gives capacitors / circuts time to drain.

During those 5 or 15 seconds you can active a state of zen that will flush
your mind of all negative energies and direct good will at the box. The
ability to reach a zen like state and focus good will at the system is a
vital skill that only the best support techs master. (The really good ones
can do it over the phone!)

--
  Scott