Have you seen this error message?

[lconrad at laymusic.org (Laura Conrad)]

>>>>> "DA" == Derek Atkins <warlord at MIT.EDU> writes:

    DA> It's probably a hardware bug, most likely a single-bit error in your
    DA> RAM.   You could probably just go spend $100 for some new RAM and it
    DA> might fix the problem.  

I think I'd rather buy a new machine than spend any more money on this
one.  I'd buy a new disk drive if I thought that was the problem
because I'd be able to use that on the next box, but this box is so
old that memory is too expensive for what you get.

    DA> Another thing to try before you go off spending money: Open up
    DA> the box and vacuum out all the dust and dirt inside!  After
    DA> that, run memtest86..  That SHOULD show you any kind of memory
    DA> errors.  If memtest throws errors then definitely just get
    DA> some new RAM.

I did run memtest and checked dmesg and syslog for disk errors, and
there really doesn't seem to be any sign of this error except this
error message.  I'll try the vacuum idea -- I did it about a year ago
and it fixed a funny noise I was having.  And it's possible that the
speck of dust that's been there for a couple of weeks went away last
night without me vacuuming.  


-- 
Laura (mailto:lconrad at laymusic.org , http://www.laymusic.org/ )
(617) 661-8097	fax: (501) 641-5011
233 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139