Re: Bug#309909: kernel-image-2.6-686-smp: acpi + rtc causes hang on debian boot
I'm seeing this same problem and searching online I see dozens of people
suffering from this problem even after replacing multiple motherboards. It
seems it's particular to Linux too, Windows XP doesn't have the problem and in
some cases even fixes the problem once Linux has caused it. What seems to be
happening is the Linux rtc kernel module is corrupting the nvram.
Searching on Dell I find this:
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/topics/topic.aspx/emea/shared/support/dsn/en/document?docid=758AEA00D5B6478FBAA8AD8CD476D8CC
which says even their own older diagnostics disks can't read their the RTC on
their newer machines. So there's definitely some new interface that has to be
used to read these RTC circuits. It wouldn't be surprising that using the old
method to *write* would actively corrupt the bios.
> Update Dell(tm) Diagnostics to take Updated RTC Circuits into Account.
>
> A false indication of real-time clock (RTC) circuit failure may be seen when
> versions prior to and including version 2.04 of the 32-bit Dell Diagnostics on
> the Dimension ResourceCD is run on Dimensions with newer RTC circuits.
>
> When the diagnostics are run on Dell Dimension systems (all platforms) with an
> older Dimension ResourceCD, you may see the following error message:
>
> Realtime Clock RTC Functionality Test : Fail
>
> Status: Fail Status Code: DOS DDG-D SYSTEM 020 029
>
> Device: Realtime_Clock Test: RTC_Functionality_Test
>
> Release: 1029 Module(s): System
>
> MSG: The Seconds register is not updating. The register is not
> updating or is updating too slowly. The pare may be bad or the
> 32-Khz crystal might not be functioning.
--
greg
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