linux-kernel - Re: Bug on 2.6.26 - x86 VIA Nehemiah CentaurHauls processor cannot boot

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Date:	Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:41:25 -0400
From:	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
To:	Jeff Garzik <jeff@...zik.org>
CC:	"Luis R. Rodriguez" <mcgrof@...il.com>,
	linux kernel <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...nel.org>,
	Ivan Seskar <Seskar@...lab.rutgers.edu>,
	jfm3 <jfm3@...lab.rutgers.edu>, Sujith <m.sujith@...il.com>
Subject: Re: Bug on 2.6.26 - x86 VIA Nehemiah CentaurHauls processor cannot
 boot

Jeff Garzik wrote:
> 
>> We're only referring specifically to the family == 6 VIA processors here.
> 
> To be specific, I was merely saying that VIA processors where 
> c->x86_model==6 may lack CMOV.
> 
> I have not kept track of what current Kconfig options will set, but in 
> the past it was quite easy to build a "generic 686 kernel" that required 
> CMOV and thus excluded these VIA processors.
> 
> Distros in the past often wound up intentionally -not- supporting some 
> of these VIA processors, because they did not want to create a non-CMOV 
> kernel.  (This policy obviously excluded older x86 as well)
> 
> If these things have been addressed recently (< 12-18 months) then all 
> good.
> 

I am pretty sure CONFIG_X86_GENERIC doesn't disable CMOV, and since CMOV 
is a separate CPUID flag it's all good (if the chip doesn't have it, 
it'll trap.)

Unfortunately Intel didn't assign a CPUID flag for the long NOPs, and 
then didn't document them (I think partially because they were a 
retcon), but yet it reflected a serious hole in Centaur's 
characterization effort that they bumped family to 6 without following 
P6 behaviour for a massive range of opcodes.

The main reason for disabling P6 NOPs for CONFIG_X86_GENERIC is that the 
win is so small, and that a number of vendors got it wrong.

	-hpa
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