What is the most difficult problem that you have fixed in linux? - eviltoast
  • edric@lemm.ee
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    8 months ago

    Ridiculous

    I had a similar one. I had a usb-powered fan cooling pad that my laptop was sitting on. My laptop would randomly go into boot loops when I turn it on. I thought it was a grub issue so I always had my usb stick ready to re-install grub. Did some dusting one day and forgot to plug in the cooling fan, then the boot loop never happened again. Turns out it was the fan plugged into the usb that was causing it.

    • foggy@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      I think this is likely related to USB cables as power cables and USB ports/voltages.

      I have seen a lamp completely fry a MacBook. I wouldn’t be surprised to see something similar cause a boot loop.

      • curiousPJ@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Semi-related note… displayport cables can cause a no-boot condition too. I think it was the existence of Pin#1. I had to duct tape that one pin and my computer finally booted up.

    • evidences@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      A couple years ago on Reddit I saw a story where a dude working IT support had to drive to a remote office or replace a workstation that wouldn’t boot. When he got there the lady whose desk it was had some shitty USB fan or maybe an led Christmas tree plugged into one of the USB ports. He unplugged that and the pc booted fine.