Re: REGRESSION: the new i386 timer code fails to sync CPUs

From: Matthias Urlichs <smurf@smurf.noris.de>
To: Andi Kleen <ak@muc.de>
Cc: Andrew Morton <akpm@osdl.org>, john stultz <johnstul@us.ibm.com>,
	linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, torvalds@osdl.org, bunk@stusta.de,
	lethal@linux-sh.org, hirofumi@mail.parknet.co.jp,
	asit.k.mallick@intel.com
Subject: Re: REGRESSION: the new i386 timer code fails to sync CPUs
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:28:49 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20060730222849.GC3662@kiste.smurf.noris.de> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20060730215705.GA90965@muc.de>

Hi,

Andi Kleen:
> > I'll postpone that until we have a working kernel fix,
> > for obvious reasons.
> 
> What are the obvious reasons?
> 
- No endangering of customers' production machines without a compelling
  reason.

- No stepping back, as I don't know which BIOS version is on the
  board (DMI says "6.0", but Tyan has 1.0x on their website; the
  release date doesn't match either).

- I'd rather test a working workaround in the kernel before updating;
  if I have the problem, others have it too, and gettng Linux to boot in
  that situation isn't exactly trivial -- the fact that you need a
  clock= parameter when udevsend hangs is kindof non-obvious.

- ... and the not-quite-obvious reason: Tyan specifies that I *need* a
  Win95 or Win98 boot floppy to do that. While I don't really believe
  them, I still don't have one of those handy ... which brings me back
  to the first item in this list.

-- 
Matthias Urlichs   |   {M:U} IT Design @ m-u-it.de   |  smurf@smurf.noris.de
Disclaimer: The quote was selected randomly. Really. | http://smurf.noris.de
 - -
"Seems I can't get me 'ead down these days without rescuin' people or
foilin' robbers or sunnink."
        -- It's a wonder dog's life
           (Terry Pratchett, Moving Pictures)