Re: PARAVIRT_GUEST bug? [was: Stable regression: usb-storage is stuckin 2.6.26.5]

From: Jeremy Fitzhardinge
Date: Tue Sep 16 2008 - 13:19:20 EST


Michael Tokarev wrote:
> Michael Tokarev wrote:
>
> [usb-storage hangs on asus M2NPV-VM (nVidia GeForce 6150/nForce 430)
> motherboard with latest bios]
>
>> Ok, it turned out to be pretty.. interesting.
>>
>> It's not a regression within -stable kernel series. The problem
>> happens when BOTH are true:
>>
>> - using latest BIOS for this mobo (1401), AND
>> - enabling KVM_GUEST in kernel.
>>
>> The only difference in my kernel config between .1 and .5 was
>> to enable KVM_GUEST and KVM_CLOCK, and also I2C_HELPER_AUTO
>> which was added by kernel update.
>>
>> Going with previous BIOS (1201) OR disabling PARAVIRT_GUEST
>> fixes the problem. I'll try to figure out which config
>> option is at problem here.
>
> After seeing similar situation on another motherboard, I
> become curious.
>
> Here's the result: M3A78-EM motherboard (also from Asus),
> AMD780G/SB700 etc. Updating to one of the latest bios
> makes the system unbootable. Kernel hangs on boot right
> after displaying
>
> SLUB: Genslabs=12, HWalign=64, Order=0-1, MinObjects=4, CPUs=2, Nodes=1
>
> Reverting to the older BIOS or disabling PARAVIRT_GUEST in kernel
> fixes this (turning off KVM_GUEST isn't enough), and kernel happily
> boots further, with next line being
>
> hpet clockevent registered
> ...
>
> Reportedly, another Asus motherboard (M2N-SLI DELUXE) also hangs
> with new BIOS and KVM_GUEST optimizations turned on, but not on
> older BIOS.
>
> So it's quite.. funny. At least SOME latest BIOSes from Asustec,
> together with PARAVIRT_GUEST, -- a problem. Don't do either of
> those, and it's all ok.
>
> The question is if Asus introduced the same bug in quite.. some
> of their recent BIOSes, or PARAVIRT_GUEST code is somehow buggy
> and the bug is exposed by new BIOS code.
>
> Any hints on this? ;)

PARAVIRT_GUEST doesn't enable anything by itself; it just makes other
config options appear. What other config options are you enabling?

That is, what's the diff between a working and a non-working .config?

J
--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/