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SubjectRe: memtest86, built into kernel

On 23-Apr-96 Andreas Kostyrka wrote:
>>Even good RAM has some single-bit errors after a few weeks. It can be
>>caused by radioactivity (alpha particles) for example.
>Hmmm, where is your alpha particle producer in a closed computer box?
>When I remember my physics examination right, alpha particles are stopped
>even by paper, beta and especially gamma radiation are the ``difficult to
>limit'' ones.

From Intel:
Soft errors are temporary; a bit of data is lost, but
the memory cell still functions correctly and rewriting
the data in the cell corrects the error. Soft errors
are intermittent errors that occur as a result of the
passage of ionizing radiation through the memory cells
of semiconductor devices. The most common source of this
radiation is alpha particles generated as a result of
the decay of thorium and uranium, which are found in
trace amounts in the packaging materials of all plastic
and ceramic encapsulated devices [3,4].

>So I assume that the plastic cover on the RAM chips is
>protection enough, right?
>
>Andreas

Not when they are the source :)

Rob
(rriggs@tesser.com)


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