[Novices] Using Knoppix to Test, Diagnose & Benchmark

[John Bridleman]

* Kevin Wixson wrote:
> In Windows I use a program called Sandra by SiSoftware to discover all 
> kinds of information about computer systems, to diagnose problems, identify 
> hardware and benchmark and do burn-ins. I'm interested in doing similar 
> things with Knoppix. Please help me use Knoppix to do some of the things I 
> use Sandra on Windows to do. To start:

I use Knoppix to help me access seemingly inaccessible Windows boxes and to drive the people at BestBuy crazy. ;-)

> How do I identify a motherboard?

I usually look at it to try and identify it. I've heard that you can google on the numbers that are usually displayed when the system first starts booting. I can't confirm this.

> How do I identify memory by slot?

Beats me. Maybe memtest does it?

> How do I test memory?

memtest. I thought that memtest was a boot option for Knoppix.

> How do I test hard drives (surface integrity)?

Does fsck do a surface test? I'm not sure. I've never specifically run a surface test in linux. If I have a disk problem that fsck can't fix then I usually turn to the hard drive vendors tools.

> What testing and benchmarking tools should I be aware of?

For benchmarking, there are many monitoring programs that run under linux. Most monitor a specific thing. What types of benchmarks are you looking for?
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John Bridleman / www.bridleman.org