From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Jan 15 04:24:13 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CC2C4106566C for ; Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:24:13 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bc979@lafn.org) Received: from zoom.lafn.org (zoom.lafn.org [108.92.93.123]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A3A978FC13 for ; Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:24:13 +0000 (UTC) Received: from [10.0.1.2] (pool-96-229-186-65.lsanca.fios.verizon.net [96.229.186.65]) (authenticated bits=0) by zoom.lafn.org (8.14.3/8.14.2) with ESMTP id q0F4NW0G076880 for ; Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:24:12 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from bc979@lafn.org) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v1251.1) From: Doug Hardie In-Reply-To: Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:24:11 -0800 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message-Id: <6E262E0B-B86D-45B6-9DC6-CE56EB2B20FD@lafn.org> References: To: FreeBSD Mailing List X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1251.1) X-Virus-Scanned: clamav-milter 0.97 at zoom.lafn.org X-Virus-Status: Clean Subject: Re: Probable Hardware Failure X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:24:13 -0000 On 14 January 2012, at 18:11, _ wrote: > Memory is a rather broad term. If by memory you mean RAM, you could = replace your current RAM with another chip, supposing you have one = around. >=20 > An interesting read on "Double Fault" is:=20 >=20 > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_fault >=20 > According to it, that would rather point to a software than a hardware = related problem. >=20 >=20 > On Sun, Jan 15, 2012 at 1:12 AM, Doug Hardie wrote: > I have a pretty old desktop that has been around quite awhile. It has = started periodic crashes. No log messages. However, the core status = files all show "double fault". I am confident this is a hardware issue, = but is there any easy way to determine if its power or memory related? = Those are the primary candidates although memory is also possible. We = really need to replace the entire unit, but that might be a bit more = salable if I can present convincing evidence of the cause of the = problem. I doubt if its a direct software fault. The system is running 7.2 and = has been running that for several years without any problems. Nothing = has been changed on it. However, a memory fault could easily end up in = the kernel thus making it look like a software problem.