SMP hypersparc ss20 kernel recommendations

[Heitzso <heitzso@growthmodels.com>]

I had to upgrade from my working 2.2.25 SMP kernel on my
dual hypersparc ss20 to a 2.4.x kernel because of the recent
debian unstable changes.  I am now running 2.4.22 custom
compiled single processor kernel.  I sorely miss that extra
CPU on this box.

Note in all cases I'm compiling with 2.95 gcc instead of
latest-greatest 3.x because of the sparc glitches in the code
that get triggered by gcc 3.x.

Before, when I spent several days trying to get a 2.4 SMP
kernel running on this box it always hung on the way up.
Is it possible that other aspects of the system (libs?/programs?)
were breaking instead of the kernel?

Should I sit tight for some patchset to come down the
pike in a future 2.4 or 2.6 kernel?

Also, and this is very strange, 'top' stopped working
in 2.4.22, though worked great in 2.2.25.  I'd appreciate
any clues re getting it to work again.

Thanks,
Heitzso