wierd 386 error

[Rick Kelly]

In article <537 at bria> uunet!bria!mike writes:
>In an article, rmk at rmkhome.UUCP (Rick Kelly) writes:
>|That unterminated parallel cable probably makes a fine antenna.  The system is
>|broadcasting it's own noise back to the cpu.  Probably causes some wierd
>|spurious interrupt that XENIX doesn't like.  Serial cables can do the same
>|thing.
>
>Would putting some kind of wrap-plug on the cable ends help this?
>Just curious.


Since PC's tend to reset the parallel port on cold boot, a loopback cable
could also cause problems with booting.  Parallel cables are least sensitive
when the shield is grounded on both ends.  This is why good cables have some
metal that comes into contact with the printer's connector.  Being only
grounded on 1 end, makes the cables shield a very powerful antenna.


Rick Kelly	rmk at rmkhome.UUCP	frog!rmkhome!rmk	rmk at frog.UUCP