linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 2.6.24] mm: BadRAM support for broken memory

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Date:	Sun, 2 Mar 2008 19:34:16 +0000
From:	Rick van Rein <rick@...rein.org>
To:	Rick van Rein <rick@...rein.org>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	akpm@...ux-foundation.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2.6.24] mm: BadRAM support for broken memory

Hello,

> This is a great feature for those of us who value their money more
> than a few hours of time as well.  :-)

That's how it's most often used, indeed.  I do value the environmental
aspect as well: the potential for memory manufacturers (say, for the
$100 laptop) to ship out their broken memories at a low cost, thereby
delivering more products for a given amount of toxic waste created in
the chip etching process.

> I would very much like to see this patch in mainline

Many, many people want to.  I've been asked about it a lot, but always
lacked the time to figure out how.

> ISTR that one
> argument that has been historically made against this sort of thing is
> that it would make bug reports unreliable.

Actually it's broken memory that makes reports unreliable, not the patch :)

After the right set of broken addresses has been applied, the whole system
runs as reliably as any other system.  And I hope people have the wits to
mistrust a system for a while after they've plugged in broken DIMMs ;-)

> mechanism now, so that shouldn't be a showstopper -- if that's the
> only argument, then set a new taint flag, please.

I doubt that'll be necessary, but yes, it'd be a way out.  Thanks.

Cheers,
 -Rick
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