Re: UDB/Multia SRM microcode

I just emailed Jay Estabrook, quite some time ago he told me I could for 
the patch we described way below.  Kernel 2.4.20 looks good, maybe a 
little older might work too.  The discussion follows:

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A long time ago on a redhat-axp list you sent me the text below.  Did 
your kernel patches make it into the kernel proper now?  2.4.7 was a 
while back...  If not could you send me a patch for this unsupported 
floating point instruction?
Thanks,
Scott
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The hang is evidence of a problem that afflicts JENSEN SRM as well as
UDBs running SRM: a bug that prevents correct handling of fault
processing of an unsupported (by EV4 CPU) floating point instruction.

There have been various patches available on the net to solve this,
but unfortunately a comprehensive solution has not become part of the
official kernel sources (yet).

I have some patches which I will be submitting to 2.2.20 and 2.4.7;
if you want a copy, please Email me directly.

Once equippped with those patches, you'll need to build an appropriate
kernel for booting from floppy, and then use the RAMdisk/CD normal
install technique, which I think should work.

--Jay++

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Yes, that *was* "a long time ago in a mailing list far away"... ;-}

The kernels included in RH 7.2 for Alpha certainly have the fix, and
2.4.20 official sources have it as well. I can't remember as to
exactly when the fix went in, but it's advisable to use the latest you
can, of course...

Good luck!

 --Jay++



Stefan Reinauer wrote:

>* Scott Serr <[email protected]> [030522 20:55]:
>  
>
>>As I remember, there is a microcode problem with the SRM console so it 
>>is generally recommended to use ARC on Multias.  At some point, there 
>>was a Linux Kernel work-around for the SRM microcode problem.  Is this 
>>on the new SuSE 8.1 CD?  It would be nice and easy to use SRM to 
>>install.  Can someone "in the know" tell me if I still have to use ARC/Milo?
>>    
>>
> 
>It's unlikely that this workaround made it in. Can you point me to the
>patch or some information? Maybe I can provide update kernels in future.
>
>  
>
>>[Or maybe HP will release a new firmware (> 1996) for the Multia. haha]
>>    
>>
>  
>Or someone is found for porting LinuxBIOS (www.linuxbios.org) to more
>Alpha platforms. There is a DS10 port already ...
>
>
>  
>