On Tue, Dec 28, 1999 at 03:12:57PM -0500, Charles Galpin wrote:
> Hi All. this gets a bit long winded, but please bear with me.
>
> The short version is what is the best (most intensive) way to test
> hardware integrity, as well as isolate the exact problem?
> <snip>
> Well the old mb/cpu/ram combo locked up on me twice already. I ran the
> kernel compile loop on this box as well. It made it overnight, but locked
> up sometime this morning. I ran it again, and this time it locked up in
> just under 3 hours. I am currently running it again with one of the 128MB
> dimms removed.
>
> Nothing in the logs when this occurs.
Thoughts:
--there is a good RAM tester named memtest86. You can find the latest
version (2.1) at http://reality.sgi.com/cbrady_denver/memtest86. It
is a standalone tool, download it, unpack the .tgz archive, insert a
3.5" HD floppy in /dev/fd0, run "make install-bin" and if successful
reboot with that floppy in the drive. Let it run for a few hours
(overnight isn't a bad idea) to see if it finds any memory problems.
--I have little knowledge, but I've **heard** stories of some Super-7
motherboards being unstable when running fast K6-II chips. I have, as
I said little knowledge, but I've also heard no/few complaints about
the FIC VA503+ boards, which is why I bought two of them last spring,
along with K6-II/350 CPUs. So far they've both run like a champ. They
will supposedly go up to 450 Mhz, though I've obviously not tried it.
--Along that same vein of thought, have you tried backing off a little
on the CPU clock? I think you said it is running at 450 Mhz, which
I assume to be 4.5X100 Mhz. you could try backing off to 4X100 or
4.5X95 to see if underclocking helps its stability. I always figured
that screaming-fast was wonderful, but only if it also just happened
to be right!
> So, I'd really like to figure out exactly which component needs
> replacing. I'm guessing it's likely in the order of ram, then cpu, then
> mb? But, I'd also like to be darn sure I test these properly. This really
> needs to be reliable. The last box I setup for my mom turned out to have a
> memory problem - only found out once it was installed and I was trying to
> build something on it. THen lightning took out the modems so I could no
> longer remotely admin it (but that's a whole other problem).
>
> I have also just kicked off a program called memtester
> http://www.qcc.sk.ca/~charlesc/software/memtester in the hopes of catching
> a memory problem.
If this is a RAM tester that runs as a user task, I don't see how it could
do a good job since it won't have full access to the entire machine. I'd
recommend memtest86 (see above) or other stand-alone RAM test tool.
Fred
--
---- Fred Smith -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------
"And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government there will be no end. He
will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding
it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever."
------------------------------- Isaiah 9:7 (niv) ------------------------------
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