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Re: Gaston, NC PollBooks Freeze up



Jane..
 
This problem is a hardware issue with the Laptop themselves.  The only short-term solution, and it is not a very good one, is that you emphasize with the pollworkers to be patient.  You select something, wait about 5 seconds before moving on to the next selection or command.  I can create the same problem here when I attempt to give it to many commands at once, or if I am quick on the "enter" button.  The only solution is to wait 5 seconds before moving to the next selection or command. 
 
Of course, the only other solution is to send them all back and get new ones......
 
Rodney
----- Original Message -----
From: Jane Barth
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 3:44 PM
Subject: Gaston, NC PollBooks Freeze up

Using PB 3.13.1.4 on a AMS Tech Roadster.  Been having ALOT of pollbooks freeze up in Gaston, NC.  Charged the battery for 24+ hours, and still will freeze up at different time intervals. Is this a long enough time frame?  This will cause us a great deal of pain on election day. ANY input on this would be greatly appreciated!
 
Thanks,
Jane
 
I've canvassed Carleton Clark and Rodney Turner on the Gaston PollBook problems.  They were the individuals involved with the PollBook repairs.  The three units that     Rodney serviced had definite hard drive failures.  Those hard drives were replaced under warranty by our vendor.  The Gaston laptops came with a three year warranty.      If these hard drives continue to fall out after that warranty expires, perhaps Global can source new hard drives and repair the laptops in house.  It would be greatly             appreciated if, when a unit was back in house for repair, the hard drive make and model could be determined so we can find a source for these items.
 
The six(?) additional units that failed were serviced by Carleton.  He found that the reason they did not boot (even when plugged into a good AC source) was due to the internal battery being completely discharged.  He found that recharging the battery solved the booting problem.  I don't know if this is a common problem among all laptops or just these laptops.
 
On the side, Clint Rickards called me about a similar problem he had with his personal laptop.  I recommended that he fully charge the battery before attempting to reboot.  I haven't heard from him as to the result of that procedure.
 
After talking with Robert Pickett, he was going to make the recommendation that Gaston constantly charge the battery while they are stored on the shelf between elections.  Does anybody foresee a problem with this?
 
Ian
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Dix [mailto:ljdglobal@gesn.com]
Sent: August 17, 2000 9:08 AM
To: Robert Pickett; Ken Clark; Larry Ensminger; Ian Piper; Bob Urosevich; Tab Iredale
Cc: Wes Krivanek; John McLaurin; Jane Barth
Subject: RE: Gaston County Poll Book Problems

We have not had any success in reproducing the laptop card burning failures in McKinney.  I have assigned a person to burn cards all day and without failure.  We do not have a solution to this problem, since we can not duplicate it here.  Without a solution, I would recommend that we pre burn as many cards as possible for each precinct.  I do not know what else we can do, but any and all input is welcome.

 

 

Larry J. Dix

Global Election Systems

(972)-542-6000

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Pickett [mailto:rpglobal@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2000 1:05 PM
To: Ken Clark; Larry Ensminger; Larry Dix; Ian Piper; Bob Urosevich; Tab Iredale
Cc: Wes Krivanek; John McLaurin
Subject: Gaston County Poll Book Problems

 

As ya’ll are aware, many of the lap top computers used in precincts as poll books in Gaston County have a high rate of failure.  They will lock-up (some up to 25 times per day) requiring the poll worker to turn off the lap top computer and reboot.  The poll workers complain about the slow speed of the card burning procedure as it is and this just adds insult to injury, creating more frustration.

 

I realize that we have tried to emulate the problem with little success.  Nevertheless the situation still exists.  Is it a hardware problem, a software problem or a combination?  Nobody seems to know.  With the impending general election and other TS accounts coming on line, it might be in our and our customers’ best interest to find a solution.  Obviously, if we have a problem creating voter cards, we could have a serious situation that would be difficult to overcome.  What is our next move?

 

Thanks for your attention to this matter

 

Robert