Bug#643012: PAE Kernel doesn't work with Pentium M
On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 04:55:47PM +0200, Bernhard wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Package: installation-reports
>
> Boot method: CD
> Image version: Self-made Boot-CD with actual Installer from SID
> Date: 2011-09-25
>
> Machine: ASUS Notebook Z7750
> Processor: Pentium M @ 1,6GHz
> Memory: 512MB
> Partitions:
>
> > Dateisystem Typ 1K-Blöcke Benutzt Verfügbar Verw% Eingehängt auf
> > /dev/sda1 ext4 9611492 4256900 4866352 47% /
> > tmpfs tmpfs 5120 0 5120 0% /lib/init/rw
> > tmpfs tmpfs 51364 312 51052 1% /run
> > tmpfs tmpfs 5120 0 5120 0% /run/lock
> > tmpfs tmpfs 102728 8 102720 1% /tmp
> > udev tmpfs 251400 0 251400 0% /dev
> > tmpfs tmpfs 102728 0 102728 0% /run/shm
> > /dev/sda6 ext4 47109496 35558016 9158444 80% /home
>
> Output of lspci -knn:
>
> > 00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 82855PM Processor to I/O Controller [8086:3340] (rev 21)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:186a]
> > Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel
> > 00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82855PM Processor to AGP Controller [8086:3341] (rev 21)
> > 00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:24c2] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1869]
> > Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
> > 00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:24c4] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1869]
> > Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
> > 00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #3 [8086:24c7] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1869]
> > Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
> > 00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-M) USB2 EHCI Controller [8086:24cd] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1868]
> > Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
> > 00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev 83)
> > 00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) LPC Interface Bridge [8086:24cc] (rev 03)
> > 00:1f.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) IDE Controller [8086:24ca] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1869]
> > Kernel driver in use: ata_piix
> > 00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) SMBus Controller [8086:24c3] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1869]
> > Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
> > 00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller [8086:24c5] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. M6800N [1043:1713]
> > Kernel driver in use: Intel ICH
> > 00:1f.6 Modem [0703]: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Modem Controller [8086:24c6] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. M6800N [1043:1826]
> > Kernel driver in use: Intel ICH Modem
> > 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 [Mobility Radeon 9600 M10] [1002:4e50]
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1772]
> > Kernel driver in use: radeon
> > 02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM5788 Gigabit Ethernet [14e4:169c] (rev 03)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1735]
> > Kernel driver in use: tg3
> > 02:01.0 CardBus bridge [0607]: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II [1180:0476] (rev ac)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1864]
> > Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
> > 02:01.1 CardBus bridge [0607]: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II [1180:0476] (rev ac)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1864]
> > Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
> > 02:01.2 FireWire (IEEE 1394) [0c00]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller [1180:0552] (rev 04)
> > Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1867]
> > Kernel driver in use: firewire_ohci
> > 02:02.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 2200BG [Calexico2] Network Connection [8086:4220] (rev 05)
> > Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:2701]
> > Kernel driver in use: ipw2200
>
> Base System Installation Checklist:
> [O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
>
> Initial boot: [O]
> Detect network card: [O]
> Configure network: [O]
> Detect CD: [O]
> Load installer modules: [O]
> Detect hard drives: [O]
> Partition hard drives: [O]
> Install base system: [E]
> Clock/timezone setup: [O]
> User/password setup: [O]
> Install tasks: [O]
> Install boot loader: [O]
> Overall install: [O]
>
> Comments/Problems:
>
> Installation was successfully.
>
> One small issue:
> The PAE Kernel can't be selected during Base installation.
> If i choose linux-image-686 in installer, the installer says, the system
> doesn't support PAE.
> If i install the PAE Kernel after installation with apt-get, the system
> works fine.
>
> I'm not sure, if this is a bug in the installer.
>
> Attached, there is the output of /proc/cpuinfo with the manual installed
> PAE Kernel:
>
> > processor : 0
> > vendor_id : GenuineIntel
> > cpu family : 6
> > model : 13
> > model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.60GHz
> > stepping : 6
> > cpu MHz : 600.000
> > cache size : 2048 KB
> > fdiv_bug : no
> > hlt_bug : no
> > f00f_bug : no
> > coma_bug : no
> > fpu : yes
> > fpu_exception : yes
> > cpuid level : 2
> > wp : yes
> > flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss tm pbe up bts est tm2
> > bogomips : 1199.95
> > clflush size : 64
> > cache_alignment : 64
> > address sizes : 36 bits physical, 32 bits virtual
> > power management:
>
> If you need further informations, please let me know.
Well /proc/cpuinfo should have the 'pae' flag if the CPU supports it.
So it would appear that it does not. At least not from the kernel's
point of view.
Of course the strange bit is that it says it has 36bit physical address
with 32bit virtual address, which would require a PAE capable CPU.
I wonder if intel left out the pae flag since there is no way a pentium M
machine could have enough ram to need it, and using a PAE kernel (whether
on windows or linux) has a slight overhead, so it is better not to use it.
The fact the core has one that supports 36bit physical addresses and
the pae instructions doesn't mean intel has to make it tell software
that it has it.
Apparently some Pentium-M or the D series (which would be model 13 as you
have) do have execute disable (and hence pae since it is required by XD
(aka NX)). Earlier D series had it disabled, although that probably
doesn't mean the CPU doesn't still have the hardware for it.
So my guess is you have an early 0x6D series Pentium M from before
intel decided to allow no execute support and hence have pae disabled
(but still present). So as a result the pae kernel should still run,
although perhaps a bit less efficiently than a no-pae kernel would.
--
Len Sorensen
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