linux-kernel - [RFC PATCH v2 13/26] docs: reporting-bugs: point out the environment might be causing issue

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Message-Id: <f4512b613b341b14f25814b6c9e5937955c266ff.1605203187.git.linux@leemhuis.info>
Date:   Thu, 12 Nov 2020 18:58:50 +0100
From:   Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@...mhuis.info>
To:     Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>
Cc:     Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@...radead.org>, linux-doc@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: [RFC PATCH v2 13/26] docs: reporting-bugs: point out the environment might be causing issue

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 | 35 ++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 35 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
index 5f6d3b2b55f9..234731cd0c78 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
@@ -624,6 +624,41 @@ module not part of the Linux kernel. That why your might need to uninstall the
 packages with such software to get rid of any 3rd party kernel module.
 
 
+Ensure a healthy environment
+----------------------------
+
+    *Make sure it's not the kernel's surroundings that are causing the issue
+    you 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 run within their design specifications;
+   that's especially important for the main processor, the main memory, and the
+   motherboard. Therefore, stop undervolting or 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``, as it might be damaged in a way that leads
+   to unexpected kernel behavior.
+
+ * 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 other software that was updated at the same time. It can also
+   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 look a lot
+   like a kernel 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.
-- 
2.28.0