Re: PROBLEM: Can't boot a (HZ = 1000) kernel using an AMD Phenom-II processor

[Mark Hounschell <markh@compro.net>]

Andreas Herrmann wrote:
> On Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 04:08:41AM -0500, Mark Hounschell wrote:
>> john stultz wrote:
>>> On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 4:38 AM, Mark Hounschell <dmarkh@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
>>>> I upgraded from a Phenom to a Phenom-II processor and I could no longer boot.
>>>>
>>>> I have tried kernels from 2.6.26 through 2.6.28.
>>>>
>>>> I _can_ however boot these kernels when they are configured for HZ = 250. I
>>>> haven't tried HZ = 300. But certainly if HZ = 1000 the boot hangs at the spot
>>>> indicated below in the dmesg output.
>>>>
>>>> The machine is up and stable running 2.6.26.8 with a (HZ = 1000) configured kernel.
>>>>
>>>> While running a 2.6.26.8 kernel configured for HZ = 250:
>>> [snip]
>>>>    vmalloc : 0xf4800000 - 0xff7fe000   ( 175 MB)
>>>>    lowmem  : 0xc0000000 - 0xf4000000   ( 832 MB)
>>>>      .init : 0xc0373000 - 0xc03a9000   ( 216 kB)
>>>>      .data : 0xc02b5336 - 0xc036c6d0   ( 732 kB)
>>>>      .text : 0xc0100000 - 0xc02b5336   (1748 kB)
>>>> Checking if this processor honours the WP bit even in supervisor mode...Ok.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>      The 2.6.26.8 kernel hangs up right here.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> CPA: page pool initialized 1 of 1 pages preallocated
>>>> SLUB: Genslabs=12, HWalign=64, Order=0-3, MinObjects=0, CPUs=4, Nodes=1
>>>> hpet clockevent registered
>>>> calibrate_delay_direct() failed to get a good estimate for loops_per_jiffy.
>>> This looks suspect. Probably something is off with the timer
>>> interrupt, that's causing the calibration to be way off.
>>>
>>> Does booting with hpet=disable change anything?
>>>
>>> thanks
>>> -john
>> John,
>>
>> I tried this with 2.6.26, 2.6.28, and 2.6.29-rc2. It didn't change anything.
> 
> Hi Mark,
> 
> I just want to second what Boris already stated.
> Obviously your BIOS doesn't properly initialize your CPU.
> 
> Your BIOS programs the processor name string as
> "AMD Processor model unknown"
> 
> I would have expected to see something like "AMD Phenom(tm) II X4"
> 
> This shows that the BIOS doesn't know your CPU model and it is an
> indication that your CPU is not correctly initialized. Phenom II is a
> different CPU model than Phenom and several configuration bits
> (e.g. MSRs, CPU config space) need different settings from BIOS
> or they even were reserved in previous family 10h CPU models.
> 
> IMHO it is a waste of time to try to debug/fix your problem from OS.
> First you should update your BIOS. You need to check the "CPU
> support"-information from your motherboard vendor to see whether your
> motherboard supports Phenom II and which BIOS is required.
> 

Understood and agreed with.

> If you know that your BIOS/motherboard are supposed to support Phenom II
> and the problem persists then it is a different game and we should
> definitely look into your problem.
> 
> So what's your BIOS version and motherboard vendor/model?
> (And output of dmidecode would be helpful.)
> 
> 

The MB is a Biostar TA770+. It is not yet listed as one with new
BIOS support for the Phenom-II. Only the TA770+ SE is at the moment.
The only difference in the Sata port arrangement and the BIOS type.

I guess I'll just keep pinging them.

Regards
Mark