Contagion

[stitch626]

Doesn't the GCS have three computer cores? A primary and redundant pair in the saucer section and one in the engineering section?

I think it only has two, with one in the saucer being a dumby.

[Tyyr]

No, one in the engineering hull is the deadweight. Three active ones.

And obviously it would make no sense to keep one in standby, totally disconnected from everything else ready to be put in service if say the other two got infected with a virus.

[Nickswitz]

No Tyyr, that would be using common sense, way to high thinking for the Federation.

[McAvoy]

I don't know. There could be a possibility that a disconnected computer core would take too much time connect into the system should the other cores fail. So as a neccessary evil, Starfleet has the backup(s) connected ready to be used.

[Lighthawk]

I don't know. There could be a possibility that a disconnected computer core would take too much time connect into the system should the other cores fail. So as a neccessary evil, Starfleet has the backup(s) connected ready to be used.

Possible, but unlikely. How hard can it be to plug in a few wires?

[Bryan Moore]

I don't know. There could be a possibility that a disconnected computer core would take too much time connect into the system should the other cores fail. So as a neccessary evil, Starfleet has the backup(s) connected ready to be used.

Possible, but unlikely. How hard can it be to plug in a few wires?

Remember this is the Enterprise. Its computer system is always malfunctioning. Likely more difficult than we'd like.

[Sionnach Glic]

If the ship has three cores, then that's still no excuse.
Have one running.
Have one connected but on standby in case you need it.
Have one completely disconnected.

Problem solved.

[Tyyr]

Exactly. Additionally I'd set the core up so that most of your absolutely critical, "It works or we all die," type stuff is initially routed through a single data connection. Make one connection (probably by hand, not even have the computer control it) and all the important stuff can be run by the offline backup. Then you can take your time hooking up the lines for things like transporters and replicators and doors.

Physically shut the infected cores down and disconnect them then hook up the back up. It's not a perfect way to secure the computers but at the worst it would have doubled the time they had to try and fix the problem in Contagion.

[McAvoy]

Do we know if the Galaxy needs one computer core to run the ship?

[Tyyr]

Canon, we don't know one way or another. According to TNG Tech Manual only one of the three cores was needed.

[steamrunner]

Canon, we don't know one way or another. According to TNG Tech Manual only one of the three cores was needed.

Hmmm...I just can't quite see that one. It might be able to operate on just one core, but I would think that the engineering core would handle the M/ARA and related systems while the main core in the saucer section would handle research, etc... Two extra cores with I-don't-know-how-many Gazooblebytes of computing power just sitting there...

[Vic]

Hmmm, gazooblebytes, is that an official scientific term of measurement?

[steamrunner]

Sure, why not... Terabytes are boring.

[Tyyr]

Not sitting there, they all ran at the same time. It's just possible to run the entire ship from a single core, just don't expect to be making a lot of use of the holodeck or the like.

[McAvoy]

I thought about this.

You need one for the saucer and the battle section when the ship seperates. Then if case the engineering hull is somehow destroyed or lost, the saucer is the giant lifeboat, just in case the primary core is damaged, you have another. You shit out of luck if both are damaged. The engineering hull does not need a backup because a saucer would not (well it shouldn't) explode, so need to seperate.

Though if I were to design it, the engineering hull would at least have a mini core to at least run the basics of the ship until help arrives when the ship is seperated.

EDIT: Woohoo! Ensign!