Re: [2.6 patch] x86: allow 64bit setting in Kconfig

[Adrian Bunk]

On Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 06:13:21PM +0100, Sam Ravnborg wrote:
> > In my experience there is no way for me to enable 64BIT without somehow 
> > manually fiddling with ARCH.
> > 
> > No matter whether it's menuconfig or oldconfig or whatever else.
> 
> >From the patch description when ARCH=x86 were introduced:
> 
>     # make {allno,allyes,allmod,rand}config [ARCH=...]
>     option \ host arch      | 32bit         | 64bit
>     =====================================================
>     ./.                     | 32bit         | 64bit
>     ARCH=x86                | 32bit         | 32bit
>     ARCH=i386               | 32bit         | 32bit
>     ARCH=x86_64             | 64bit         | 64bit
> 
>     The general rule are that ARCH= and native architecture
>     takes precedence over the configuration.
>     So make ARCH=i386 [whatever] will always build a 32-bit
>     kernel no matter what the configuration says.
>     The configuration will be updated to 32-bit if it was
>     configured to 64-bit and the other way around.
> 
>     This behaviour is consistent with previous behaviour so
>     no suprises here.
> 
>     make ARCH=x86 will per default result in a 32-bit kernel
>     but as the only ARCH= value x86 allow the user to select
>     between 32-bit and 64-bit using menuconfig.
> 
> So what you see is what was then discussed and considered
> optimal functionality.

What you describe differs vastly from what Ingo considers optimal and 
describes as seeing on his computer. Why does oldconfig preserve the 
32/64bit for him?

And the fact that kconfig does not let you choose the 32/64bit unless 
you explicitely set ARCH=x86 is for users simply confusing.

> We shall keep in mind the main target here is to keep
> peoples systems running as usual when they shift to
> the unified {32 bit / 64 bit} x86 arch.
> 
> If you want anything changed then do this with respect to
> the intended behaviour as documented above and keep the
> setup used by our less kernel skilled testers in mind.
> 
> And you do not belong to the "less kernel skilled"
> testers base.

Your table talks about {allno,allyes,allmod,rand}config, and this is 
definitely not stuff "less kernel skilled testers" should be using.

> 	Sam

cu
Adrian

-- 

       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed

--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/