Kernel cpu selection

Aaron Tiensivu (tiensivu@pilot.msu.edu)
Thu, 17 Jul 1997 18:18:34 -0400


> What processor do you set in make config for a kernel build with a
> K6? Is there any reason you can't set it for Pentium? I remember having

No reason. The K6 loves the 4MB pages.
I set it to Pentium.

Coming up in the kernel, I think the whole chip definition section should
be overhauled into some type of sassy multi-selection deal.

Instead of:

Processor type (386, 486, Pentium, PPro) [Pentium]

It would say:

Processor manufacturer (Intel, AMD, Cyrix/IBM) [Intel]

If AMD:
Processor type [386, 486, 5x86, K5, K6] [K6]

If Intel:
Processor type [386, 486, Pentium, PPro, Pentium2] [Pentium]

If Cyrix/IBM:
Processor type [586, 686, M2] [686]

Actually, hell.. no one work on this, I wanna whip up something fancy this
weekend. ;-)

> problems running a K5 with the option set to Pentium, but this is because
> the K5 is 486 technology I believe. Does anyone have any definitive
> information on this?

Bzzzt. ;-)
I know that stepping 1 (I think?) had a bug where a bit of the MSR information
was swapped (I think it was discussed here too).. but other than that, the K5's
I've messed with have run anything Pentium great. It's not really 486
technology at all.. it's a nifty cybil of a chip.. RISC running CISC..
Considering that it can equal a higher mhz Pentium at a lower actual mhz rating
is impressive alone..

Sure.. the FPU is slower than the Pentium, but the Pentium is a perverted chip
anyway.. floating points faster than integers??

Well, I'm going off on an offtopic tangent, so I'll stop now. :)

--
Which is worse: ignorance or apathy?  Who knows?  Who cares?
Have cool, will travel.
There is no mojo from the mofo in the HoJo.