linux-kernel - Question about checking a pointer for validity

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Message-ID: <513A29D8.3080503@lwfinger.net>
Date:	Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:11:36 -0600
From:	Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@...inger.net>
To:	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Question about checking a pointer for validity

I am chasing what I suspect is a firmware error for the Realtek RTL8723AE 
device. The symptom is that the RX buffer is corrupted, and I get a kernel panic 
due to a bad pointer in an interrupt routine.

I am currently checking that pointer for NULL, which is catching some of the 
situations, but I am still getting panics from non-NULL pointers that do not 
point to a valid address.

Is there any way to test a pointer for validity that will not crash the system 
if it is bad?

Thanks,

Larry
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