I think the first thing I would want to know is how critical is the equipment the board came out of. That will lead you to the correct answer from there. If it's critical then a board swap is probably the best call. Most mission critical equipment should have back-up parts or a quick way to get them. If the equipment isn't all that critical (and the board is expensive) then you can try finding documentation and spend a couple of days shotgunning the board. Dont forget that your pay also figures into the cost of the repair. If the board costs like $200 then it makes no sense to spend 2 days trying to fix it. > From: enkitec@gmail.com> To: piclist@mit.edu> Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 21:04:55 -0200> Subject: Re: [OT] Re: uncommon interview?> > > My responses:> > 1. Change the board if a good one is available.> 2. Substitute socketed ICs or test them with an IC tester.> 3. Ask them how much they will be willing to pay for the repair cost > to see if it worth it from now on.> 4. The repair cost will depend on the board documentation > availability and the urgency of the repair.> > Mark Jordan> > > On 14 Jan 2007 at 19:14, Dennis Crawley wrote:> > > Dario, Vasile and Mark Thanks for the input. (I forgot the [OT] label!)> > ..by friday i'll tell you how this ends.> > > > Vasile Surducan wrote:> > > They gave you a very good question.> > > A few years ago I repaired a Kodak laboratory equiped with 4 or 5> > > pieces of 68000 processors which communicate between over a time> > > multiplexed serial bus.> > > I haven't complete documentation and the guy who service the tool> > > asked to the ! owner an equivalent of $3000 for exchanging the> > > damaged board.> > > I've sit (really sit on the floor) two fully days with an> > > oscilloscope, a sheet of paper and a pencil. After two days the> > > problem was solved with only $800.> > > I admit my nose help me always with those problems.> > > > > > So the question was good and the answer could be:> > > 1. drop it to the garbage, it's time for new devices here> > > 2. pay me enough to reverse engineer the board and find the> > > schematic, then I'll be able to solve your problems.> > > > > > greetings,> > > Vasile> > > > > > On 1/14/07, Dennis Crawley wrote:> > >> Hi all.> > >> I'll have the last job interview this week, this time with an> > >> engineer. They make and sale instruments which determine> > >> components at molecular and atomic level.> > >> They want me at two areas, networking administration and technical> > >> services.(U$S 1000, 8hrs, Argentina)> > >> In that last interview th! ey will give me a PCB board (15"x7") > > >> with this question:> > >> "What would you do, if the problem is here".> > >> I have a glance of one of many boards last week, (very short> > >> glance), and I saw a> > >> 68000 microprocessor, a lot of buffers like 74C244/5, 4 very> > >> populated connectors, and 4 or 5 PALs.> > >> I want to know if this is a normal interview, just because I have> > >> a nephew who is magician.... Perhaps he can do the job better> > >> than I can. > > >> > > >> No diagrams?> > >> > > >> I would appreciate any comment.> > >> > > >> Dennis Crawley> > > > > > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive> > View/change your membership options at> > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist> > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive> View/change your membership options at> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist