Re: SMP kernel on single-cpu machine...?

Rob Fugina (robf@fergcons.com)
Tue, 11 Nov 1997 13:58:41 -0600 (CST)

> > We may be able to get round this by detecting the error when we try to init
> > the second CPU. There are frightening warning messages about using APIC error
> > returns though. Alan - could you comment on this, please?
>
> That is the right answer. The Spec doesnt actually say you cant report CPU's
> you dont have - it sort of implies it and hopes vendors arent acutely
> lazy..

Well, tell me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like we've decided that in our cases
(Tyan motherboards being suspect) the kernel thinks there are two CPUs when
there aren't. Is our error message reporting a failure to start the second
CPU, or are we seeing only symptoms of not being able to start the other CPU?
Does anyone have any evidence that a Tyan motherboard with both CPU slots
populated *does* correctly populate this data structure, or does the kernel
just end up making a correct assumption that there are two?

Mostly rhetorical questions, mind you. I'll be turning on SMP_DEBUG tonight
in hopes of getting more detailed information...

Rob

-- 
Rob Fugina, robf@fergcons.com
Unix Systems Administrator/Consultant