Re: Commit 78eef01b0fae087c5fadbd85dd4fe2918c3a015f (on_each_cpu(): disable local interrupts) Breaks SGI IP32

[Ralf Baechle <ralf@linux-mips.org>]

On Sat, May 27, 2006 at 05:13:21PM -0400, Kumba wrote:

> Finally managed to track down the git commit causing SGI IP32 (O2) systems 
> to lock up really early in the boot cycle, but I'm at a loss to understand 
> why.
> 
> Effect:
> It appears the system silently hangs somewhere in the void between function 
> calls when trying to invoke the memset() call in __alloc_bootmem_core() in 
> mm/bootmem.c.  This puts the machine hardware in a state such that a simple 
> soft reset doesn't clear it -- the machine has to be cold booted to get it 
> to boot a working kernel again.
> 
> Determined Cause:
> It seems this commit:
> 78eef01b0fae087c5fadbd85dd4fe2918c3a015f
> 	[PATCH] on_each_cpu(): disable local interrupts
> 
> Is the cause.  I've verified this by reversing this one change on a 
> 2.6.17-rc4 tree, and it'll boot to a mini-userland (initramfs-based) and 
> appears to function normally.
> 
> 
> But this is as far as I can trace this.  I'm not sure what this change is 
> doing internally that's triggering this lockup on O2 systems.  It doesn't 
> appear to affect Octane (IP30) systems or Origin (IP27).  I haven't 
> test-ran it on IP22/IP28 hardware yet, so only IP32 is known to be 
> affected.  Unsure about non-SGI MIPS hardware.

on_each_cpu is re-enabling interrupt.  This may crash the system if it
happens before interrupt handlers have been installed.  A while ago I've
fixes all such calls but I may have missed some instances.

Andrew, what was the reason for 78eef01b0fae087c5fadbd85dd4fe2918c3a015f ?

  Ralf