6,534
edits
Changes
Added some actual contents
Sometimes when you have a kernel panic, oops, or other fatal crash, this is not programmers whom to blame. This article describes how to properly test your hardware to check it's in a good shape.
== RAM tests ==
Random Access Memory (RAM) is sometimes faulty, which leads to some very strange system crashes. It is though highly recommended to test your system RAM. A several approaches and tools can be used.
=== Memtest86 and Memtest86+ ===
[http://memtest86.com/ Memtest86] is a stand-alone RAM tester. It can either be booted from a CD, or from your normal Linux bootloader, such as GRUB or LILO.
[http://memtest.org/ Memtest86+] is a forked version of Memtest86 with some features added.
You can either download and install one of this programs from the sites above, or they can be a part of your Linux distribution already.
For Fedora Core, memtest86+ is available:
<tt>yum install memtest86+</tt>
For Gentoo, both programs are available:
<tt>emerge memtest86</tt>
<tt>emerge memtest86+</tt>
To test your system for faulty RAM, install either memtest and reboot into it. Run it for at least a few hours (at least 2-3 iterations). If there will be even a single error reported, you have to change your RAM chips (or, if your system is overclocked, downclock it to normal speed).
=== Memtester ===
Memtester FIXME
== CPU cooling tests ==
FIXME cpuburn
== RAM tests ==
Random Access Memory (RAM) is sometimes faulty, which leads to some very strange system crashes. It is though highly recommended to test your system RAM. A several approaches and tools can be used.
=== Memtest86 and Memtest86+ ===
[http://memtest86.com/ Memtest86] is a stand-alone RAM tester. It can either be booted from a CD, or from your normal Linux bootloader, such as GRUB or LILO.
[http://memtest.org/ Memtest86+] is a forked version of Memtest86 with some features added.
You can either download and install one of this programs from the sites above, or they can be a part of your Linux distribution already.
For Fedora Core, memtest86+ is available:
<tt>yum install memtest86+</tt>
For Gentoo, both programs are available:
<tt>emerge memtest86</tt>
<tt>emerge memtest86+</tt>
To test your system for faulty RAM, install either memtest and reboot into it. Run it for at least a few hours (at least 2-3 iterations). If there will be even a single error reported, you have to change your RAM chips (or, if your system is overclocked, downclock it to normal speed).
=== Memtester ===
Memtester FIXME
== CPU cooling tests ==
FIXME cpuburn
