doubt it's a cold problem. i've had my computer go from inside the card @ -20f in the trunk to 75f in the house. Turned it on it & had no problems.

Odds are the SATA cables just don't fit right.

Sata cables aren't such great designs, and lately I've seen a lot more locking connectors for SATA data and power connectors.

Bob's idea of a heating tape in the chassis is probably a good idea. Or you could look for other cables.

I live in relatively balmy Oakland CA and every winter I get a noisy graphics card fan that clears up after a restart. But it only happens when the room is in the 50s.

Rob Mack

thanks gents...

i'll look into some internal mini heater (don't make kerosine stoves that small, or maybe one of those tea candles ;-)).

any recommendations re sata cables (bob?)

but what do you think about leaving on in general?

brr..it's getting chilly again...

leslie

The cold should not be doing this. I live in Manitoba where our Winters can go as low as -40C (-40F) and that's without the windchill. Our cars operate pretty stiff at that temp but the on board computers, cd players, lights, brakes...etc still function without issues.

My guess is that your cables are fitting properly or they're pretty cheap. In any event, what you could do is hang a 60watt light bulb inside the case... that should throw enough heat to keep things warm. my pressure washer sits outside and in the Spring when the temps go up and down I throw a 100watt light inside the pump housing to keep it from freezing and it works fine.

Try here:
http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/

look under cables. Even got ones that glow in the dark, that'll make Vegas render faster for sure.

In my experience cables, well connectors actually, cause more faults than anything else. Not so long ago I nearly needlessly replaced all the drives in my DVD duplication tower when all that was wrong was an intermittent IDE connection.

I suspect you've got a dodgy connection and the thermal change is making it fail completely, a mechanical prod gets the connection making contact again. As voltages and currents get lower there's less current to 'wet' contacts also. Oxides build up, cold makes contact open up a few microns and goodbye contact. Where it used to make contact oxidises so even when it warms up again, no connection. Just guessing really :)

Bob.

Ah yes. If your vehicle is outside at -40F it means oil heaters all night long, idle all night long, (engine will never start in the morning), battery heater, 4 wheel drive mandatory as the wheel bearing grease freezes and one front and one rear wheel will rotate while the other two wheels slide along the pavement with chains on for about a 1/4 mile before they bust loose, 20 weight oil in the differential, plastic stickems for the inside of the windshield and side windows as defrosters are useless, and a lot of spare fenders to repair the damage by chains exploding off the wheels at 60mph, and long underware or you will freeze your you know what's off.
JJK

Actually, just a block heater does the trick, plugged in for 4 hours or more, and about 15 minutes warm up time when you start in the morning (for fuel injected cars...the carberated models is touch and go). Gotta have a good battery.
But it's a pretty stiff ride!! The suspension is frozen pretty good, and you have to be careful with the knobs and dials on the dash.... alot of them are plastic and they break off in your hands if you're too rough with them.

What irritates me is the rear view mirror.... forever having to adjust it. When you first get in, the seat is so stiff you don't sink in, so you have to adjust the mirror up. Then when the seat warms and you start sinking in, you have to adjust down...... up, down, up down.....

a 60 W bulb will cook the computer's innards if left on long enough. Do you recall the toy oven that used a lightbulb as the cooking element?

OK I gotta ask, why is your PC outside? :) I keep mine in the house. It gets to -40 here but my pc is happy as long as it gets to sleep inside at night. JM.

a 60 W bulb will cook the computer's innards...

Agreed. Have you ever touched one after it's been on for a few minutes? It gets damn hot!! A better choice might be a compact flourescent bulb - although there's that mercury issue with them :-(

Mike

"a 60 W bulb will cook the computer's innards if left on long enough. Do you recall the toy oven that used a lightbulb as the cooking element?"

A 60 watt bulb doesn't put out that much heat.

In a tightly enclosed box (like a child's toy oven) would do some damage. But in a ventilated area it does not put out enough heat to cause damage. Put it this way... a lamp shape near to a 60 watt bulb *MAY* brown on the inside after a few years.

But if it makes one nervous... you can always go to 40 watts.... or 20.... or.....

i wouldn't recommend a 60w bulb. Remember, when vegas renders, we're trying to get RID of heat, not generate it. :)

I'd say just try to find some better cables.

Or just leave the thing on. Your monitor can go into standby, right? I leave my computer on 24/7, though I also rationalize doing so because this room is usually cold. I'd guess that a typical PC with processor at idle is drawing maybe 150 watts.