1. A method of detecting one of a plurality of likely failures of components in a digital data processing system, comprising the steps of storing a plurality of error entries, each error entry containing a plurality of differing indicia identifying components of differing types associated with a single error event in said digital data processing system, analyzing, through use of a digital expert system, said plurality of differing indicia contained within said error entries, by determining whether there is a substantially random distribution of indicia with respect to a plurality of components of a given type or a concentration Of indicia with respect to one or more components of a given type as at least one step in identifying a pattern of identifying components of differing types that corresponds with one of a plurality of failure theories, and, based on said failure theory, identifying a said likely failure of a said component.