hardware testing - e.g. memory - on old hardware

[paul van den bergen]

Like most geeks[1] I have a pile of roting hardware at home...  Someone 
yesterday mentioned (vaguely) about utilities for testing hardware - 
especially RAM - but presumably this could be extended to other hardware - 
that would 
1) tell you if it is OK.
2) isolate and by some mechanism make unusable sections of memory perminantly 
damaged.

I figured this would be quite usefull for redundant hardware (where age and 
lack of replacement parts might tempt one to hold onto hardware as long as 
possible)

anyone have any idea if there is such a beasty?




[1] I have a theory about geeks.... there are geek-wannabes, geeks, ubergeeks 
and Gnurus... and the process is progressive and non-linear....

-- 
Dr Paul van den Bergen
Centre for Advanced Internet Architectures
caia.swin.edu.au
pvandenbergen at swin.edu.au
IM:bulwynkl2002
"And some run up hill and down dale, knapping the chucky stones 
to pieces wi' hammers, like so many road makers run daft. 
They say it is to see how the world was made."
Sir Walter Scott, St. Ronan's Well 1824