Narrative:

Recently it has become necessary to reboot or in other ways work on the individual desk computers. The system to switch the keyboard between 2 computers seems to cause the problem most often. Today it was necessary to reacquire the system nearly 8 times in a 6-HR timeframe. Eventually the one computer locked up without recourse. It was necessary to reboot the other computer; but then the track ball system for the first computer wouldn't work after reboot. I called the computer technician to replace the keyboard and track ball. That resolved the situation but I was without a computer for nearly 30 mins. I used other dispatchers' computers to flight follow; but I was without access to downlink messages from aircraft for that entire time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DISPATCHER REPORTS RECURRENT COMPUTER PROBLEMS PREVENTING THE ACR FROM TRACKING AIRBORNE FLT.

Narrative: RECENTLY IT HAS BECOME NECESSARY TO REBOOT OR IN OTHER WAYS WORK ON THE INDIVIDUAL DESK COMPUTERS. THE SYS TO SWITCH THE KEYBOARD BTWN 2 COMPUTERS SEEMS TO CAUSE THE PROB MOST OFTEN. TODAY IT WAS NECESSARY TO REACQUIRE THE SYS NEARLY 8 TIMES IN A 6-HR TIMEFRAME. EVENTUALLY THE ONE COMPUTER LOCKED UP WITHOUT RECOURSE. IT WAS NECESSARY TO REBOOT THE OTHER COMPUTER; BUT THEN THE TRACK BALL SYS FOR THE FIRST COMPUTER WOULDN'T WORK AFTER REBOOT. I CALLED THE COMPUTER TECHNICIAN TO REPLACE THE KEYBOARD AND TRACK BALL. THAT RESOLVED THE SITUATION BUT I WAS WITHOUT A COMPUTER FOR NEARLY 30 MINS. I USED OTHER DISPATCHERS' COMPUTERS TO FLT FOLLOW; BUT I WAS WITHOUT ACCESS TO DOWNLINK MESSAGES FROM ACFT FOR THAT ENTIRE TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.