How to debug >2GB memory issues (and 3ware)

[Michael R. Wayne]

Resolution for the archives

On Mon, Nov 08, 2004 at 02:19:47PM -0500, I wrote:
> I have a Dual 4GB system with a 3ware SATA controller that's working
> properly as long as I restrict it to 2GB with:
>    hw.physmem=2G
> 
> Obviously, I'd like to have access to the other 2GB of RAM.  But
> if I go past 2GB, I get random crashes during all builds (world,
> kernel, port).

Short term fix:
   Remove the last Gig of RAM so that there was only 3 GB physical
   RAM in the box.  Note that limiting it to 3GB with hw.physmem=3G
   did NOT work, that only worked to 2 GB.

Long term fix:
   Replace the 8 512MB Corsair DIMMs (where are approved to run
   with the Arima motherboard) with 4 Kingston 1GB DIMMs.  All
   problems vanished immediately and the box runs fine with 4 Gig.

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