eeprom data became volatile on 8/3/12

[Dr_John]

During a session on the afternoon of 8/3/2012 the eeprom data became corrupted on two seperate PIC08M boards.
I found out one had lost its data, then tried the other, and it too had lost it.
These are two daughter boards that haven't had new software for months, and have been working reliably every week for the last year.
They were indoors in a single-storey classrom, with a flat roof.

In both cases i was able to reset the data (using the existing software) and the boards continued to work normally.

I saw in the evening news an item on solar wind causing electrical problems on that date.

Has anyone else experienced the similar problems.

 

[srnet]

Until Windows was invented, we used to blame un-expected computer crashes on particles from space corrupting RAM.

 

[westaust55]

Funnily, on the same day, I had frequent alarms from my home PC wherein sensors were frequently reporting weird changes in fan CPU speeds, voltages and CPU + mobo temps.

If CPU voltages had really doubled then parts would have fried.

Yes there have been reports of very high levels of solar flare activity.
It is well known that such solar flares activity occurs on an eleven year cycle and greatly affect HF radio comms (2MHz to say 100 MHz)
Recall last were about 2000 while I was camping in remote desert regions and left many with vehicle mounted radio struggling with HF comms over distances like 500km whereas my radio with long wire antenna got through far better.

See also:http://www.google.com.au/m/search?q=solar+flares&hl=en&sa=G&prmd=imvnsu&source=univ&tbm=nws&tbo=u&ei=tdxZT7y5EY2hiAfA2N3IDQ&ved=0CDoQqAI

 

[nick12ab]

I've been having a few BSoDs on my computer in the last few days (all with code F4) but that could either be related to my ongoing PICAXE fan controller or the solar flares. I'll have to remove it for a few days to find out.

Kind of off-topic for this particular thread, but can my thread linked above be moved to the Active PICAXE Forum since it seems that a lot more needs to be done than I was expecting - the F4 BSoDs and the temperature reading mismatch.

EDIT: When I was using that computer yesterday, the voltage readings did change but these were small changes of less than 0.1V rather than massive like WestAust's. When my computer was about to show a BSoD, the taskbar would disappear and the screen would fade out as if you were logging off (I'm using Windows 7 on that computer) and then the BSoD would appear. About the last 50ms of any audio that was playing would end up getting played constantly in a loop until the computer was reset.

In addition, my £5 car boot sale laptop which I'm typing this on froze up twice yesterday (and required a hard reboot in both cases) for no apparent reason. I originally thought that it was just because it was really cheap but it seems that this isn't the case.

P.S. Thank you Hippy for moving the thread.

 

[hippy]

It could be Solar Flares or just coincidence. I have friends who also reported BSOD recently so it does have that tingly 'not just coincidence' feel about it.

@ nick12ab : Thread moved, put 'moved link' in old forum.

 

[mrburnette]

Until Windows was invented, we used to blame un-expected computer crashes on particles from space corrupting RAM.

ROFL



-Ray

PS: I can remember the days of fearing the stray subatomic particle... from my understanding, it was the original reason ECC memory was invented (plus the premium price!)

 

[Paix]

All OK here, Linux and tin-foil skull cap.

I did notice that I had a bit of an electrical failure of the eyelids this last two afternoons that could be related to increased photon activity, or a lack thereof in the household.

I well remember telling users to look out for any unusual activity following a software upgrade. I didn't do that again. It's a bit like all the multiple wasps and bumble bee sightings that get called in as honey bee swarms each year.