LabVIEW Crash problem?

[John Eschelbach]

I have an interesting problem.

I am doing some relatively simple data acquisition, basically just acquiring
the output from an InstaSpec II PDA at a rate of .5-1Hz over an extended
period of time, usually 30-60mins. I then run an FFT on the acquired data
and plot the output of a particular array point. Typically, I am collecting
between 900-2400 data points, depending on the acquisition rate and time.
The data is then saved to a spreadsheet.

About 15mins into the acquisition, the LabVIEW panel screen will go blank,
and all that appears on the screen is a blinking cursor in the most upper
left-hand corner. This occurs regardless of how long I set the acquisition
time for, but always at about 15mins.

The computer is then frozen
at this point. The only way I can get out is to
manually reset the computer. The keyboard, mouse, windows, everything does
not respond.

We had the program running fine on a newer computer, but wanted to put it on
a slower more convenient computer in our lab. It is running a P-MMX with
Windows 98 and LV 5.0 and 32mb of Ram. My first thought was the computer
could not handle all of the data, however I wrote a quick subroutine that
simply outputs constant numbers to the final spreadsheet instead of the
acquired data. LV has no problem is this case filling a 2400 data point
file or more.

Ideas? Is it somehow related to the constant need for FFT power on a slower
computer? Also, why 15mins? Does that symbolize something in Windows?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

John Eschelbach

[abrause]

Could it be a screen saver or power management kicking in? I've had
problems
like that, especially when a hard drive goes to "sleep". Check both the
software
(control panel) and the BIOS settings (at boot up) and turn off all power
saving
devices.

Alan


"John Eschelbach" wrote in message
news:B6ADC6A3.145A%eschel_j@denison.edu...
> I have an interesting problem.
>
> I am doing some relatively simple data acquisition, basically just
acquiring
> the output from an InstaSpec II PDA at a rate of .5-1Hz over an extended
> period of time, usually 30-60mins. I then run an FFT on the acquired data
> and plot the output of a particular array point. Typically, I am
collecting
> between 900-2400 data points, depending on the acquisition rate and tim
e.
> The data is then saved to a spreadsheet.
>
> About 15mins into the acquisition, the LabVIEW panel screen will go blank,
> and all that appears on the screen is a blinking cursor in the most upper
> left-hand corner. This occurs regardless of how long I set the
acquisition
> time for, but always at about 15mins.
>
> The computer is then frozen at this point. The only way I can get out is
to
> manually reset the computer. The keyboard, mouse, windows, everything
does
> not respond.
>
> We had the program running fine on a newer computer, but wanted to put it
on
> a slower more convenient computer in our lab. It is running a P-MMX with
> Windows 98 and LV 5.0 and 32mb of Ram. My first thought was the computer
> could not handle all of the data, however I wrote a quick subroutine that
> simply outputs constant numbers to the final spreadsheet instead of the
> acquired data. LV has no problem is this case filling a 2400 data point
> file or more.
>
> Ideas? Is it somehow related
to the constant need for FFT power on a
slower
> computer? Also, why 15mins? Does that symbolize something in Windows?
>
> Any help is greatly appreciated.
>
> John Eschelbach
>

[b a r t]

John,
That sounds like the Power Management feature disabling the display after a
15 minute timeout. My notebook used to lock up the same way. You can turn
this off easily by going to the "screen saver" tab of the display properties
applet and clicking the "Settings" button at the bottom.

Bart Craft
MicroCraft Corporation