0 bytes read from /DSDT.aml ?!

[Simon Bridge <corwin-OA6R/WnsTSZ02iOg2JU2CQ@public.gmane.org>]

Using Ubuntu Breezy with 2.6.12 on Acer Aspire 3003LC
Install custom DSDT.aml as follows:

# iasl -ta dsdt.dsl

(no errors)

# cp DSDT.aml /etc/mkinitramfs/DSDT.aml
# dpkg-reconfigure linux-image-`uname -r`

reboot

/proc/apci dosn't exist
dmesg swamped with APIC errors: set noapic on grub kernel line and reboot.

/proc/acpi still don't exist - well of course not...

dmesg | grep ACPI

[4294669.728000] ACPI: Looking for DSDT in initramfs... found /DSDT.aml ... successfully read 0 bytes from /DSDT.aml
[4294669.728000] ACPI: Using customized DSDT
[4294669.728000]     ACPI-0229: *** Warning: Invalid checksum in table [    ] (00, sum 54 is not zero)
[4294669.728000]     ACPI-0306: *** Info: Table [    ] replaced by host OS
[4294669.764000]     ACPI-0320: *** Error: ns_search_and_enter: Bad character in ACPI Name: CBEEDF
[4294669.764000]     ACPI-0295: *** Error: Looking up [0xCBEEDF] (NON-ASCII)
[4294669.765000]     ACPI-0127: *** Error: acpi_load_tables: Could not load namespace: AE_BAD_CHARACTER
[4294669.765000]     ACPI-0136: *** Error: acpi_load_tables: Could not load tables: AE_BAD_CHARACTER
[4294669.765000] ACPI: Unable to load the System Description Tables
[4294669.866000] ACPI: Subsystem revision 20050729
[4294669.866000] ACPI: Interpreter disabled.
[4294669.866000] pnp: PnP ACPI: disabled

... that first line would appear to be the problem.

I note that there are windows specific conditionals in the dsl, basically to store OS-specific values to ^OSTB and 
^TPOS. The values assigned for _OS is not in the list is 0x00. I don't see how this could result in the above behaviour, 
but - oh well... nothing ventured... the only result of setting acpi_os_name= to any of the windows versions in the dsl 
is to add the line: ACPI: Overriding _OS definition to '<whatever>' : before looking for DSDT in initramfs. The rest is 
all the same. The vendor supplied OS was MS Windows XP Home Edition ... which is not in the dsl either.

I looked for statements like If (LEqual (SizeOf (_OS), 0x14)) - but there ain't none.

Advice?

Can anyone recommend an AML programming manual or guide?
(I am old-time programmer, cut my teeth on machine code - so you needent be shy suggesting technical references).

Looking through dsdt.dat slowly, I see references to APIC: could it be that the DSDT is telling ACPI to use APIC 
instead? And since I have booted "noapic" then nothing is read? Is this even sane?



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