This is for anyone who has had their laptop crash (blue screen) while monitoring a CAT engine with ET program. For several years I was using a Dell Latitude 630 for with CAT ET 2011B installed. Using Comm Adapter 2 I'd have no problem connecting to an engine. ET would work fine, but whenever engine speed exceeded 1800 RPM about 50% of the time the desktop would freeze and a few moments later the blue screen of death. I tried everything imaginable (replaced connection cables, swapped communicators, even had Dell replace the laptop under warranty) but without success.

Then one day I was sharing this story with another CAT technician. Having experienced the very same problem he knew immediately how to correct it. He said that laptop was simply too close to the engine. My work is primarily with CAT powered boats. Sometimes I'd have my laptop setup in the engine room and sometimes I'd have it setup outside of the engine room. That explained why sometimes I'd get the blue screen and sometimes I wouldn't. Whenever the laptop was further away it worked perfectly.

From that point on I've had no problem. This method works best with CAT Comm 2 adapter. Using a flat 'ribbon' cable to pass through closed doors/hatches I'm able extend the cable between the communicator output and laptop up to 100'. Why the laptop crashes I don't know. Perhaps engines emit some RF above 1800 RPM. My method is not a perfect fix, but if you are experiencing this same problem it is one way to around the problem.