Re: 5.3-BETA7 install cd: kernel trap 12 with interrupts disabled (fwd)

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_at_gilead.netel.rpi.edu
Senior Systems Programmer           or  gad_at_freebsd.org
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute    or  drosih_at_rpi.edu