Re: MP support


Subject: Re: MP support
From: Michael Messano (messano@dicomed.com )
Date: Tue Aug 24 1999 - 11:51:37 MDT


        Thank you for your help Andrew. I have gotten the MP kernel
to work, and here is what I found out. When booting from power-off
and then using BootX 1.1.3 and going into Linux, the MP kernel
functions as expected. However, if I boot into Linux after having
booted into MacOS 8.6, using the same kernel, BootX, etc. the MP
support is not there. Only one processor shows up in cat
/proc/cpuinfo. I have verified this several times, and I think this
is why it wouldn't work last week for me, since I was booting into
MacOS, moving the kernel, and then booting into Linux. Has anyone
else seen this, and is there someone to inform about potential bugs?

Michael

> > Hi all, I have a question about MP support in YDL and also LinuxPPC.
> > I have a Daystar Genesis dual-processor machine with several Seagate
> > Barracuda drives on the internal SCSI chain, and a Acclaim GX video
> > card.
>
><drool> ;-)
>
> > I have been trying to enable the second processor with no
> > luck. After a little tweaking, I have gotten the kernel to compile
> > cleanly, and it boots the machine fine. The only problem is, no
> > second processor.
>
>Sounds like to me that your new kernel is not being used. If it is only
>available in /boot, BootX will completely ignore it, and use whatever
>version that is currently in your system folder (or fail if there is no
>acceptable version of vmlinux in the system folder or System Folder:Linux
>Kernels.
>
> > I have gotten it to work before, but it was quite
> > awhile ago, and I believe it was LinuxPPC 4, and the kernel version
> > was 2.0.36.
>
>Make sure to copy or move /boot/vmlinux to the Mac partition with an System
>Folder on it in one of two paths: Mac OS:System Folder: or Mac OS:System
>Folder:Linux Kernels:
>
> > My other question would be about the /boot directory and
> > it's role in the kernel loading process.
>
>/boot/vmlinux - is only needed for OF booting -- bootx uses kernel in system
>folder.
>/boot/first.a - is part of the quik booter -- again used for OF only -- not
>needed if using bootx.
>/boot/first.b - is again part of quik -- you need it for quik -- but not for
>BootX
>/boot/second.b -- is again part of the quick booter -- used in OF only --
>not needed for using bootx.
>/boot/module-info -- this used by the kernel to tell what modules are
>required -- you can boot without, but you probably want to keep it -- since
>it is used in module loading at boot time -- an extra (backup) copy is
>usually kept in /usr/src/linux
>/boot/system.map -- this file is pretty important. IF you don't have one
>located in /usr/src/linux or /boot or / (I think), booting will simply fail.
>If you have the wrong version of this, you will get lots and lots of errors
>when you try to boot your system.
>
> > Is it bypassed by having the kernel in the System Folder? If
>so, can it be
>safely ignored?
>
>If you don't plan on ever using OF on your machine (or your machine doesn't
>support it), you can safely get rid of /boot/vmlinux, /boot/first.a,
>/boot/first.b and finally /boot/second.b. Your computer will never look for
>those files if you are using BootX.
>
>However, when you upgrade your kernel by getting the binary, it is important
>to make sure you have current versions of modules (compiled for your kernel
>version) in the right place (/usr/lib/modules), and the correct version of
>system.map in /boot.
>
>If you just compiled the kernel yourself (like you did), it's done all of
>the hard work for yourself -- simply copy /boot/vmlinux to the Mac OS system
>folder.
>
> > I have gotten used to my Intel box needing the kernel in the /boot
> > directory along with the syatem map, and I have a routine I use to
> > upgrade my kernel on that machine.
>
>No, since BootX loads the kernel into memory from the Mac OS side of things
>-- which can not normally read ext2fs disk to load the kernel that way
>(unless somebody comes up with a method to work BootX so that it can use
>MountX to load the kernel or something.
>
>So you are stuck needing to have a copy or move the original file (that was
>in /boot/vmlinux) into your system folder.
>
> > So, in the end, I wish to know if
> > it is possible at this point. My current kernel version, with
> > sources, etc, is kernel-pmac-2.2.16b obtained from
> > http://www.rufus.w3.org.
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>Andrew Arthur a.k.a. AArthur
>arthur99@global2000.net
>AIM: arthur998

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