Re: debugging around machine-checks...

On Wed, Oct 23, 2002 at 01:22:41PM -0400, Andrew Gallatin wrote:
> 
> Fred Clift writes:
>  > 
>  > Ok -- I'm not terribly alpha proficitent - in fact, the one alpha that I
>  > run is just a home-server - little more than a toy (mp3 server, print
>  > server and relatively secure ssh enpoint from the outside world).
>  > 
>  > Could someone explain exactly what is going on when a machine-check
>  > happens?  Is this done by the machine firmware or something?  It seems
> 
> Yes.
> 
> A machine check is the highest priority interrupt.  It occurs when
> something seriously bad happens.  Like an uncorrectable memory parity
> error, or a rogue application or kernel fondling device memory that

Make that: uncorrectable ECC memory error.

As a side note: they can also occur due to a bad CPU (I once had that),
insufficient CPU cooling, flakey power supply. An environmental check
is therefore recommended if you see them on a given FreeBSD code version
where other people / different hardware does not see them.

Wilko

-- 
|   / o / /_  _                                 wilko@xxxxxxxxxxx
|/|/ / / /(  (_)  Bulte                         Arnhem, the Netherlands

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