[LinuxBIOS] RAM controller breakage?

Segher Boessenkool segher at kernel.crashing.org
Sun Nov 12 00:48:02 CET 2006


>> I'm just a bit curious - are there settings/registers in northbridges
>> which can seriously brick a mainboard and/or RAM (physically) if  
>> abused
>> properly?
>>
>> I'll start testing my 440BX code soon, so I'd like to know what I  
>> have
>> to expect...
>>
>
> I don't think you can. I have over the years tried a lot of wrong ram
> settings, and only ever seen temporary failures. We have in 7 1/2
> years never seen anything that looked like damage due to bad ram
> programming.

Have you ever seen any damage from programming something
else incorrectly though?  It's a typical programming mistake
to write to the wrong register ;-)

That said, on modern hardware, it's almost impossible to
damage the hardware by software alone (for example, if you
accidentally turn off the fans (or don't turn them on), most
chips will automatically shut off).


Segher

p.s.  Be careful with high-power voltage regulators though ;-)





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