Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 18 Jul 1997 02:36:53 -0400 (EDT) | From | Scott Lampert <> | Subject | RE: Kernel cpu selection |
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On 17-Jul-97 Aaron Tiensivu wrote: >> What processor do you set in make config for a kernel build with a >> K6? Is there any reason you can't set it for Pentium? I remember >>having > >No reason. The K6 loves the 4MB pages. >I set it to Pentium.
So setting the processor type basically just sets the data alignment boundaries? Rumours have been floating around for a long time that the CPU selection subtly influences code in other parts of the kernel. As I'm not proficient enough to go through the code and look for such instances I have to take what you kernel guys tell me on faith. :)
>Coming up in the kernel, I think the whole chip definition section should >be overhauled into some type of sassy multi-selection deal.
If the only effect would be cosmetic then I can see why this wasn't ever really done. Although considering there are Cyrix patches floating around, it sounds like a good idea to me.
>Bzzzt. ;-) >I know that stepping 1 (I think?) had a bug where a bit of the MSR >information >was swapped (I think it was discussed here too).. but other than that, >the K5's >I've messed with have run anything Pentium great. It's not really 486 >technology at all.. it's a nifty cybil of a chip.. RISC running CISC.. >Considering that it can equal a higher mhz Pentium at a lower actual mhz >rating >is impressive alone.. > >Sure.. the FPU is slower than the Pentium, but the Pentium is a perverted >chip >anyway.. floating points faster than integers?? > >Well, I'm going off on an offtopic tangent, so I'll stop now. :)
I didn't think it was too far off topic. Its nice to get answers to questions that have been bugging me for a long time. :) Especially with the varied selection of CPU's these days, its nice to get some definitive answers on how best to utilize them under Linux. -Scott
-- Scott Lampert fortunato@heavymetal.org http://www.ioa.com/~fortunato "Sing the Hare Hare, Dance the Hoochie Koo"
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