[1mMEMCHECK[22m [1mLEGAL[22m The contents of this package are the files: MemCheck, MemCheck.doc, MemCheck.doc.info These files are all copyright (c) Ben Hutchings 1994, but they may be freely distributed provided (i) no charge is made for them above the costs of duplication, distribution and the media used, (ii) all the listed files are kept together, and (iii) the files are unaltered. The exception to (iii) is that the files may be distributed in a compressed form as long as the original files can be retrieved from this form unchanged. Software released under these conditions is often known as Freeware. I reject any responsibility for any undesirable consequences whatever of the use of this software. This includes, but is not limited to, secondary consequences, personal injuries or other kinds of side effects. [1mINTRODUCTION[22m MemCheck is a program to test your memory for hardware errors - and to prevent them from affecting your other pro- grams. It tests each individual memory circuit by attempt- ing to switch all the bits in memory into the opposite state then reading them to find out whether they actually have taken the other value. Thus each bit is toggled and any hardware errors will be found. After testing the memory is restored to its original state. Because fiddling with the whole of the memory would tend to irritate other programs (to say the least!) all other programs are paused while it runs. [1mHOW TO USE THE PROGRAM[22m MemCheck can be run from the Shell only. You should first boot from your normal 'Workbench' disk or hard disk. If you boot from a floppy, you should write-enable it for this procedure. If you are using an A1200, A2500, A3000, A4000 or another machine with an accelerator, you must first enter this line: CPU nocache noburst This ensures that your CPU won't try to be smart and use short-cuts when MemCheck needs to access the real main memory to test it. Now change the current directory to the one this document is in (by entering something like 'CD DF0:MemCheck') and enter: MemCheck When it is run it will immediately suspend multi-tasking, then check through each block of memory, taking about 5 seconds for each megabyte on a standard A500/500+/600/1000/ 1500/2000 or rather less on other machines. If you booted from a floppy disk you will need to insert this at the end. If you started with the line 'CPU nocache noburst' you can now enter: CPU cache burst to switch back on these performance-enhancing features. MemCheck will have created an executable file called C:MemPatch which when run will allocate any faulty memory found so that it will not be used by normal programs. If MemCheck reported any errors you should now enter: Ed S:startup-sequence which will require the disk you booted from. At the top of the listing which appears you should type: MemPatch and press Return. Then press Esc, X, Return to exit. The MemPatch program will now be run whenever you boot from the floppy or hard disk you used originally. The MemPatch program file will still be created if no errors are found in case an existing file is being updated after correction of a memory fault. In the long term, you should consider replacing any memory which MemCheck declares to be faulty. Before doing this, though, you should make sure that there really is a problem - perhaps by using a commercial testing program. I cannot be held responsible if MemCheck wrongly reports errors and you spend money on unneeded replacement memory! [1mCONTACT ME[22m As yet I can only be contacted by Snail-mail. My address is: 43 Harrison Close Reigate Surrey RH2 7HS ENGLAND
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