Hi TechNetters, Before everybody drifts away for the holidays, I thought I'd do an update on the problem I presented to this forum back in early November. Our main metering platform device contains an off-the-shelf PC motherboard and uses two SIMM sticks plugged into it. Since March, we've seen numerous problems with the devices faulting in the field and finally came to the conclusion that some sort of oxidation in the sockets was our problem. One big clue came from an article written by Rudy Sedlak in 2005 that we found on the web. We had indications of this being the problem, but had been unable to replicate it in the lab. We finally received a unit back from the field that would repeat the failure at will. From that unit we learned that by putting the slightest pressure in one particular place on just one of the sticks, we could fault the unit every time. Better still, we were then able to do it on other units as well. I posted a TechNet request for information about lubricants and Brian Ellis and Bill Kenyon responded with suggestions. We've evaluated solutions from the vendors Bill suggested along with some others and now have units beginning HALT testing. We've also begun a four market field trial having selected reps go into the homes where the offending devices are, remove the sticks, and apply the lubricant/cleaners. We're really pleased because in our environmental chamber in our lab, after application of one of the lubricants, DeoxIT from Caig Laboratories, we can not make a previously "bad" unit fail again. I just wanted to thank everyone who responded for contributing to a solution to a problem that had evaded us for a long time, and at the same time, wishing everyone a Warm and Happy Holiday Season. Thanks! Bob Croslin Nielsen Media Research --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------