Insects

[KA4HJH]

>This often happens as equipment ages. Those are "Software Bugs"...
>usually they are held in check by the little paper or plastic labels on
>the E-PROMS. As these get old, they dry out and slowly the bugs
>are able to escape.  The fix is to get new labels and paste them over
>the
>little windows in the PROMS. This makes the bugs go back to sleep.

Metal foil labels (the kind they used to give you with 5.25" 
floppies) work even better, as they shield these strange arthropods 
from harmful cosmic rays which could lead to dangerous mutations.


>AVOID the temptation to try to fix the bugs the "old fashioned" way.
>This involves carefully cracking the little window open (just a crack
>don't
>let them get out or they will crawl into all your M****soft stuff...)
>and then
>spray them with DDT.  Its really hard to get the right pesticides
>today... so its
>better to let "sleeping bugs lie".

If all else fails you can remove the IC from the board and soak it in 
kerosene for a week. I haven't seen a critter yet that can survive 
that treatment.


>You can also expose them to UV light but if you overexpose then the
>PROM is toast. Don't go there !!!

Wavelength is very important. You say these are white like lice? They 
may be the kind that don't absorb UV due to the lack of pigment. The 
trick is to coat them with UV absorber BEFORE exposure. Then a quick 
zap with an arc lamp 20~40 cm away will take care of things. But 
don't stare at the arc! You'll be seeing little bugs crawling 
everywhere, and when they get in your eyes it burns like mad.


>H^) <silly mode off>

<SMO>


-- 
Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"