[SLL] tab button gets stuck down when no keyboard plugged in?

[Ben Johnson]

On Sat, May 07, 2005 at 11:24:23PM -0400, Russell Evans wrote:
> On Sat, 7 May 2005 10:19:33 -0700
> "Ben Johnson" <ben at blarg.net> wrote:
> 
> > I don't know who manufactured it.  It's a tiny P4 system.  here's some
> > info about it:
> > 
> > http://www.simplifiedinnovation.com/IS8620PC%20SPEC%20SHEET.htm
> > 
> > I took the cover off the other day and the components are packed in so
> > think that I can only really see the edges of the main board.
> 
> Something packed like that might need a bit of space around it to keep
> cool enough. Nothing on top, not stuffed into a closed space, nothing
> like a hot appliance, (I can't remember what you said the business
> did, but I think you posted it was a kiosk ) around it, plenty of
> cooler room air flowing over it and nothing blocking its exhaust. Placed
> in the right position too, small boxes sometimes can't turned on their
> sides or on used on a slope, or ...
> 
> Sometimes the exhaust doesn't seem blocked but the hot air doesn't
> disperse into the room and gets pulled back into the box. Checking the
> board and cpu temp in the installed position and in a very open area
> might show the box is hot.
> 
> I have had a tiny box be too hot only in one section. The sensors on the
> box only showed a couple to a few degrees difference when installed in a
> opened at the front and back, component, rack but exhaust air collected
> and a part of the motherboard that was blocked by the internal
> components didn't get enough / any air over it . I found the hot spot by
> running my hands over the box, It was pretty surprising as it wasn't
> anywhere near the cpu or ram and it was hot enough to hurt. The
> heated spot caused sound issues in my case.   
> 
> It might be worth taking a close look at the environment (meaning
> people working around it) its running it. Someone might be putting
> their work on top of or around it, overheating it, if space is at a
> premium. Maybe log your sensors if you can't be there?

Well, that's very interesting.  The heat of the system is my greatest
concern.  I'm monitoring the cpu heat through the acpi interface and am
slowing the processor down in order to keep it cool.  It stays around
48C, which I know isn't too bad.  The entire top of the case can get too
hot to touch though.  The case is thick aluminum and is intended to act
as a heat sink, so haven't been too concerned, but maybe I should be.

The system is kept inside a cabinet.  It's twin is running in the open
in my living room while I work on it, and this one stays cool.  I think
installing a fan in the back of the cabinet at the should well.  I'll
look for hot spots after I get the fan in.

- Ben