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@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > --- > 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