Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 14:09:08 -0500 (EST) From: Chuck Robey <chuckr@picnic.mat.net> To: Bruce Gingery <bgingery@gtcs.com> Cc: FreeBSD Hackers List <freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: Recommended addition to FAQ (Troubleshooting) Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.21.0002191356360.23833-100000@picnic.mat.net> In-Reply-To: <200002182019.NAA29729@ home.gtcs.com>
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On Fri, 18 Feb 2000, Bruce Gingery wrote: > So I'll leave it up to you. There should be info at least in > a FAQ somewhere that indicates that bad RAM is not something > that can be ruled out until tested adequately, and perhaps a > checklist of symptoms that (virtually) ALWAYS indicate bad RAM, > or at least should make it suspect. It's *precisely* that attitude that makes up all immediately and completely against recommending any memory tester whatsoever. You apparently didn't read what Jordan told you closely enough to catch the main point: There is *no possible software method* of catching memory errors, with more than a 25% chance of really catching errors! There is NO "checklist of symptoms that (virtually) ALWAYS indicate bad RAM". Jordan wrote you what appears to be good advice. Like many who've posted before you, you can't believe that all the memory test programs you can purchase are all pretty much useless (only catching an extremely small set of huge memory faults). Your first post spoke of getting the memory failure "although it had supposedly passed the BIOS memory tests". BIOS checks only the existence of memory, not it's functionality. The closest you can come to in-home memory checks *IS* memory swapping, and disabling BIOS. Advocating other advice in FAQs means only giving out definitely bad advice. Your own experience, in having a memory tester find the problem, is exceptional, most folks wouldn't have even found it that way. What do you tell to users, when they claim they haven't any memory problem, because they already *used* your recommended memory tester? After all, the memory test program is in your FAQ, it's gotta mean something, right? Folks won't believe you when you tell them it's very nearly worthless. The mere existence of recommendations of memory testers, no matter how you wrap them in warnings, is enough to make users certain that you're lying when you say that they haven't even reduced the odds of a memory fault, in doing their software memory tests. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chuck Robey | Interests include C & Java programming, FreeBSD, chuckr@picnic.mat.net | electronics, communications, and signal processing. New Year's Resolution: I will not sphroxify gullible people into looking up fictitious words in the dictionary. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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