From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Oct 15 19:18:02 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id EEB3116A4CE for ; Fri, 15 Oct 2004 19:18:02 +0000 (GMT) Received: from smtp1.server.rpi.edu (smtp1.server.rpi.edu [128.113.2.1]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7677B43D41 for ; Fri, 15 Oct 2004 19:18:02 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from drosih@rpi.edu) Received: from [128.113.24.47] (gilead.netel.rpi.edu [128.113.24.47]) by smtp1.server.rpi.edu (8.13.0/8.13.0) with ESMTP id i9FJHtXG004416; Fri, 15 Oct 2004 15:17:55 -0400 Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: drosih@mail.rpi.edu Message-Id: In-Reply-To: <200410151741.i9FHfMxQ036620@vec.boulderlabs.com> References: <200410151741.i9FHfMxQ036620@vec.boulderlabs.com> Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 15:17:54 -0400 To: Robert Gray , freebsd-current@freebsd.org From: Garance A Drosihn Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" X-CanItPRO-Stream: default X-RPI-SA-Score: undef - spam-scanning disabled X-Scanned-By: CanIt (www . canit . ca) Subject: Re: 5.3-BETA7 install cd: kernel trap 12 with interrupts disabled (fwd) X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 19:18:03 -0000 At 11:41 AM -0600 10/15/04, Robert Gray wrote: >Yes, a built-in memory tester would be helpful. However, my >experience is that many memory problems pass the x86memtest, >but cause "seg faults" during buildworld, partly due to the >extra load and heat from disk activity. The memory tester would only be there to catch memory problems which are causing the installation process to fail. As such, I think it is a great idea. We certainly need to document that we are not providing a full-blown hardware tester. Memtest should be listed nothing more than something-to-run if the install fails with strange errors. >I'm a firm believer that we should encourage our users to >buy ECC systems - motherboards that support ECC, and the >more expensive SIMMs/DIMMs that have redundant bits. > >I'd rather spend a few more dollars to *know* when memory is >the problem during normal operations instead of trying to >locate the source of the problem after something bad happens. While I do agree with that, we are going to have to have a hard time convincing someone with a machine that they already own, and which "works with windows", and which can't even install FreeBSD. Or at least it will be tough if all we can do is tell them "we suspect the problem is your hardware, so spend some of your money to see if that suspicion is correct". It will be much easier for everyone if they can run some memory-testing program and see a failure. >I would be happy to lead a "documentation" project for FreeBSD >that talks about the issues and the current hardware options. >I've got the start of an article for the USENIX login magazine. >If people want to encourage me to publish, please send email >and suggest an appropriate mailing group or forum. There are documentation groups for FreeBSD, and certainly they can use more volunteers as much as any group can. The more the merrier. (Well, not always, but let us claim that for now). If you just want a place to put up a good article, you might check some BSD-related web sites, such as http://bsdnews.com/ . Almost all technical web sites would love to have people submit some helpful articles. -- Garance Alistair Drosehn = gad@gilead.netel.rpi.edu Senior Systems Programmer or gad@freebsd.org Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or drosih@rpi.edu