Hi, if I try to boot 2.6.21.6, 2.6.22.1 or 2.6.22-git8 the system always completely hangs when init tries to bring up my r8169-based NIC. Not even the keyboard lights are working anymore. If I unplug the network cable, boot continues just fine and everything works as it should. If I boot with the cable unplugged, the system also hangs and continues after I plug in the cable. Everything works fine with 2.6.20.15. Using a Fedora kernel (based on 2.6.21.5) I get the following kernel message: r8169: eth0: link down BUG: soft lockup detected on CPU#0! [] softlockup_tick+0xa5/0xb4 [] update_process_times+0x3b/0x5e [] tick_sched_timer+0x57/0x9a [] hrtimer_interrupt+0x12b/0x1b6 [] tick_sched_timer+0x0/0x9a [] timer_interrupt+0x2c/0x32 [] handle_IRQ_event+0x1a/0x3f [] handle_level_irq+0x81/0xc7 [] do_IRQ+0xb8/0xd1 [] common_interrupt+0x23/0x28 [] handle_IRQ_event+0x11/0x3f [] handle_level_irq+0x81/0xc7 [] handle_level_irq+0x0/0xc7 [] do_IRQ+0xac/0xd1 [] common_interrupt+0x23/0x28 [] __do_softirq+0x54/0xba [] do_softirq+0x59/0xb1 [] handle_level_irq+0x0/0xc7 [] irq_exit+0x38/0x6b [] do_IRQ+0xbd/0xd1 [] common_interrupt+0x23/0x28 [] find_busiest_group+0x264/0x4c5 [] _spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x8/0x9 [] __mod_timer+0xa1/0xab [] rtl8169_open+0x12e/0x194 [r8169] [] dev_open+0x2b/0x62 [] dev_change_flags+0x47/0xe4 [] devinet_ioctl+0x250/0x56a [] copy_to_user+0x3c/0x50 [] sock_ioctl+0x19f/0x1be [] sock_ioctl+0x0/0x1be [] do_ioctl+0x1f/0x62 [] vfs_ioctl+0x244/0x256 [] sys_ioctl+0x4c/0x64 [] syscall_call+0x7/0xb ======================= r8169: eth0: link up There alread is a bugzilla entry at http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=242572 I know, not everyone is a fan of bugzilla, but maybe someone wants to take a look at what was discussed there. Please CC me as I'm not subscribed to the list and don't hesitate to tell me that I forgot to include some crucial information ;) Regards, Thomas