File corruption: how to find the guilty?

[Doug Ledford]

Stephane Bortzmeyer wrote:
> 
> I have a Linux box which shows random corruption of files. Example: all Perl
> scripts suddenly die with "segmentation fault". Reinstalling the same Perl
> package cures it. Two days ago, /etc/resolv.conf became corrupted : strange
> characters were in it.
> 
> I wonder what to do? Change the disk? The SCSI controller? The kernel?
> 
> I run Linux 2.0.35 (Debian distribution 2.0), patched for the Adaptec driver
> 5.1.2. Here is the configuration:

It's memory corruption.  I've seen this float through this list or that about
30 different times in the past.  Not once has it ever been a kernel or driver
issue.  In *every* case it has been either RAM, cache, or CPU.  Check the CPU
fan, check the cache (if it isn't part of the CPU) and check your RAM.

-- 
  Doug Ledford   <dledford at redhat.com>
   Opinions expressed are my own, but
      they should be everybody's.

To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo at FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe aic7xxx" in the body of the message