Buying a new computer for your microprobe instrument

[Probeman]

This topic should be for all issues, questions and concerns related to buying and configuring a new computer for connecting to your microprobe instrument.

One thing we had noticed in the past is that we would have motherboard failures on many computers that were left on 24/7/365. Our tech found that the capacitors on these motherboards were commonly "puffed" and no longer were functional. Replacing these "puffed" caps usually worked but was a hassle.

Then we found that our Dell Precision Workstation computers would go forever and then learned that they utilized tantalum capacitors instead of electrolytic ones on those motherboards.

Now I see this article which explains what happened back then in the 2000s:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/was-the-early-2000s-capacitor-plague-corporate-espionage-or-just-industry-woes/

[John Donovan]

In addition to the better capacitors on DEll Precision motherboards, another thing to consider when we buy a new computer for the lab is ECC (or error correcting code) memory:

ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory is a type of RAM designed to detect and correct single-bit data errors, ensuring data integrity and system stability, particularly important in applications where data corruption is unacceptable.

I think all Dell Precision Workstations have ECC memory so that is yet another reason why we at Probe Software recommend these workstations.  See our computer purchase recommendations attached below.

Here's a fun video about bit flipping (possibly) from cosmic rays:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaZ_RSt0KP8&ab_channel=Veritasium

When we have 16 to 32 GB of memory, what are the odds we will get a bit flip, especially when that computer runs 24/7/365?