Re: Module Versioning Problems: How to "probe" for SMP

Hans Lermen (lermen@elserv.ffm.fgan.de)
Mon, 16 Sep 1996 16:18:28 +0200 (MET DST)


On Mon, 16 Sep 1996, Alan Cox wrote:

> > It also would be great if we have a kernel parameter to force an SMP-kernel
> > to use only one CPU (e.g. smpboot=no). This would not need to change
> > the BIOS's setup.
>
> A one processor SMP boot isnt the same as a non SMP kernel at all.

Agreed. Forget that one ;-)

> Also
> smp_num_cpus is a constant in the single processor kernel so the loops fold
^^^^^^^^^^^^
> out of the single CPU kernel

Yes, I know about it.
However, there is an important difference (though it is folded):

In an SMP kernel 'smp_num_cpus' is a _variable_, in non-SMP kernel it is
a '#define smp_num_cpus 1', it is neither in ksyms nor can it be
checked in a module or insmod.

Really, it would be good to have it as _variable_ in both kernel types.

So long,
Hans
<lermen@fgan.de>