Messages in this thread | | | Date | Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:17:16 +0100 | From | John Bradford <> |
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richard.brunner@amd.com In-Reply-To: <20030930073814.GA26649@mail.jlokier.co.uk> References: <20030930073814.GA26649@mail.jlokier.co.uk> Subject: Re: [PATCH] Mutilated form of Andi Kleen's AMD prefetch errata patch
Quote from Jamie Lokier <jamie@shareable.org>:
> 2. Nevertheless, when a kernel _not_ optimised for those AMD processors > is run on one, the "alternative" mechanism now correctly replaces > prefetch instructions with nops.
> It's a reasonable argument that if a kernel version, say 2.6.0, promises > to hide the errata from _userspace_ programs, then the generic or > not-AMD-optimised kernels should do that too. Otherwise userspace may > as well provide the workaround itself, by catching SIGSEGV - because it > is perfectly normal and common to run a generic kernel on an AMD.
This problem, and others like it, would be solved for ever with Adrian's bitmap-of-supported-cpus patch, though. With that, there is no 'generic' kernel, either it supports Athlons, or it doesn't. 100% elimination of Athlon specific code for other CPUs. Everybody is happy.
Of course a kernel compiled strictly for 386s may seem to boot on an Athlon but not work properly. So what? Just don't run the 'wrong' kernel.
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