LC/MS instrument not present?

[tayzyboy]

We have been running some samples on a micromass triple quad mass spec (running masslynx 4.0).
The computer intermittantly loses contact with the instrument during a run.
The aquisition hangs and the software thinks it is still aquiring data. The LC side of the instrument carries on as normal.
The error seems to happen randomly, sometimes a run will be fine, other times it will "die" during an important sample.

Normally we would just ring waters (micromass), however it is only happening with this method.

The hard drive is not full.

We have tried pinging the MS after an error and the computer can't see it until we reboot

Is there anything else to check?


Specs:
The MS is attached to a waters 2695.

Flow rate is 1.3ml/min split 1:9 before entering the mass spec.

We are running 2 analogue channels (UV/Vis absorbance detector) and 2 MRMs. No scans.


Thanks

(confused) James

[AA]

I have heard of similar things like this happening if you are running Windows XP, and have loaded XP service pack 2.

[Ericz]

It happened to me, too. I think it's a bug in the software since I have Windows NT. I shut down and rebott the computer, MS and recommunicate the LC. The problem was solved. I think Waters has no idea yet.

[tayzyboy]

oh the joy of Waters software!

[harringg]

We have a QTof API-US from Waters and had a similar problem. We would get at random intervals, an error message that said "Target Failure, the EPC is not responding" The fix came with replacement of the EPC several months ago, and we haven't had any problems since.

Grant H.