A sticky bit is a localized hardware failure in a digital circuit, memory array, or bus where a single line fails to toggle and remains stuck at either 0 or 1. This condition, formally known as a stuck-at fault, can result from a short circuit to the power rail or ground, electrostatic discharge damage, or a manufacturing defect in the silicon.
Heard on the job
We wrote a walking-ones test pattern to the RAM and found a sticky bit at address 0x4F.
Also heard as
- stuck-at fault