linux-kernel - Re: [RFC PATCH v1 13/26] docs: reporting-bugs: point out the environment might be causing issue

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Date:   Fri, 2 Oct 2020 10:32:36 -0700
From:   Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@...radead.org>
To:     Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@...mhuis.info>,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>
Cc:     linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH v1 13/26] docs: reporting-bugs: point out the
 environment might be causing issue

On 10/1/20 1:39 AM, Thorsten Leemhuis wrote:
> Help users to avoid a few pitfalls, as they might be the real reason why
> the kernel is acting up somehow.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@...mhuis.info>
> ---
>  Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst | 34 ++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 34 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
> index d96b21512c03..2292b79cf462 100644
> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
> @@ -583,6 +583,40 @@ not part of the Linux kernel. Your package manager might thus force you to
>  remove those, too.
>  
>  
> +Ensure a healthy environment
> +----------------------------
> +
> +    *Make sure it's not the kernels surroundings that are causing the issue you

                               kernel's

> +    face.*
> +
> +Problems that look a lot like a kernel issue are sometimes caused by build
> +or runtime environment. It's hard to rule out that problem completely, but you
> +should minimize it:
> +
> + * Use proven tools when building your kernel, as bugs in the compiler or the
> +   binutils can cause the resulting kernel to misbehave.
> +
> + * Ensure your computer components runs within their design specifications;

                                      run

> +   that's especially important for the main processor, the main memory, and the
> +   motherboard. Therefore, stop overclocking when facing a potential kernel
> +   issue.
> +
> + * Try to make sure it's not faulty hardware that is causing your issue. Bad
> +   main memory for example can result in a multitude of issues that will
> +   manifest itself in problems looking like kernel issues.
> +
> + * If you're dealing with a filesystem issue, you might want to check the file
> +   system in question with ``fsck`` before trying to reproduce it again.
> +
> + * When dealing with a regression, make sure it's not something else that
> +   changed in parallel to updating the kernel. The problem for example might be
> +   caused by another software that was updated at the same time. It can also

             by other software

> +   happen that a hardware component coincidentally just broke when you rebooted
> +   into a new kernel for the first time. Updating the systems BIOS or changing
> +   something in the BIOS Setup can also lead to problems that on the first sight
> +   look like a regression.
> +
> +
>  .. ############################################################################
>  .. Temporary marker added while this document is rewritten. Sections above
>  .. are new and dual-licensed under GPLv2+ and CC-BY 4.0, those below are old.
> 


-- 
~Randy