[gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

Hi,

Anybody using an ASUS M2A-VM mobo with a 2.6.27 kernel?  When I
attempt to boot a 2.6.27 kernel, I see the "Loading modules" message
(and messages for loaded modules) and then the boot process hangs.
With a 2.6.25 kernel, after all the module messages boot displays
"Activating mdev".  I've never seen this message with the 2.6.27
kernel.  For that matter, I tried 2.6.26 a while back and had the same
problem.

Anybody know about this problem or what might cause it?

On a related note, a few weeks back I started seeing kernel messages
like:

PCI-DMA: Out of IOMMU space for 8192 bytes at device 0000:00:14.1 
PCI-DMA: Out of IOMMU space for 1536 bytes at device 0000:02:00.0

The 2.6.25 kernel ran fine for several months before these started
appearing, so I suspect a hardware issue.  However, when running
2.6.27's "make xconfig" I noticed there's an AMD_IOMMU option.  I'd
very much like to see if it relates to the messages above.

If you've got an M2A-VM running, perhaps you could share your .config
with me???

Regards,

David

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Branko Badrljica]

David Relson wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Anybody using an ASUS M2A-VM mobo with a 2.6.27 kernel? 
<SNIP>

I have had somewhat similar problems on Phenom.
Do you have nvidia card on the machine ?

If so, there is some parameter for the module that limits its use of 
IOMMU space.
Also, I thint the problem was rectified in later revisions of the driver.

Regards,


Branko

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:37:28 +0100
Branko Badrljica <brankob@avtomatika.com> wrote:

> David Relson wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > Anybody using an ASUS M2A-VM mobo with a 2.6.27 kernel? 
> <SNIP>
> 
> I have had somewhat similar problems on Phenom.
> Do you have nvidia card on the machine ?
> 
> If so, there is some parameter for the module that limits its use of 
> IOMMU space.
> Also, I thint the problem was rectified in later revisions of the
> driver.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> Branko

H'lo Branko,

No nvidia.  The M2A-VM mobo has builtin ATI Radeon X1200 capability so
I have no need for a separate video card.

As to the IOMMU, I've already changed the BIOS to allow the maximum
memory usage (256MB) for the purpose.  The change hasn't stopped the
"IOMMU out of space" messages.

I'm truly looking for someone running 64 bit gentoo on the M2A-VM mobo
and using a new kernel with the CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU capability.

Regards,

David

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Martin Herrman]

On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 1:37 AM, David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> wrote:

> H'lo Branko,
>
> No nvidia.  The M2A-VM mobo has builtin ATI Radeon X1200 capability so
> I have no need for a separate video card.
>
> As to the IOMMU, I've already changed the BIOS to allow the maximum
> memory usage (256MB) for the purpose.  The change hasn't stopped the
> "IOMMU out of space" messages.
>
> I'm truly looking for someone running 64 bit gentoo on the M2A-VM mobo
> and using a new kernel with the CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU capability.
>
> Regards,
>
> David

there are lot's of bios updates for this board that fix
memory/compatibility issues. You might want to try latest BIOS, which
currently is version 2201 that was released 10th of November.

Martin

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Volker Armin Hemmann]

On Montag 15 Dezember 2008, David Relson wrote:

> The 2.6.25 kernel ran fine for several months before these started
> appearing, so I suspect a hardware issue.  However, when running
> 2.6.27's "make xconfig" I noticed there's an AMD_IOMMU option.  I'd
> very much like to see if it relates to the messages above.

it is very, very unlikely. The desktop amd 'iommu' is the agpgart - and that 
is unrelated to that option

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Raffaele BELARDI]

David Relson wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Anybody using an ASUS M2A-VM mobo with a 2.6.27 kernel?  When I
> attempt to boot a 2.6.27 kernel, I see the "Loading modules" message
> (and messages for loaded modules) and then the boot process hangs.
> With a 2.6.25 kernel, after all the module messages boot displays
> "Activating mdev".  I've never seen this message with the 2.6.27
> kernel.  For that matter, I tried 2.6.26 a while back and had the same
> problem.
> 
> Anybody know about this problem or what might cause it?
> 
> On a related note, a few weeks back I started seeing kernel messages
> like:
> 
> PCI-DMA: Out of IOMMU space for 8192 bytes at device 0000:00:14.1 
> PCI-DMA: Out of IOMMU space for 1536 bytes at device 0000:02:00.0
> 
> The 2.6.25 kernel ran fine for several months before these started
> appearing, so I suspect a hardware issue.  However, when running
> 2.6.27's "make xconfig" I noticed there's an AMD_IOMMU option.  I'd
> very much like to see if it relates to the messages above.
> 
> If you've got an M2A-VM running, perhaps you could share your .config
> with me???

I have used on a M2A-VM without problems the 2.6.27-rc6 from the
kernel.org, now I am using the 2.6.28-rc6 (well, almost without
problems, see http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11599, and I
have yet another  USB-related problem with this mobo).

I'm on a different box now, I'll send you my .config tomorrow if you
still need it. But I always have all the modules I need built in the
kernel and module loading disabled, so I might not be affected by your
issue.

I've not seen yet the IOMMU message.

I did update the BIOS before installing Gentoo, there is one upgrade
specifically released to support Linux on the Asus support site.

raf

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:11:22 +0100
Martin Herrman wrote:

> On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 1:37 AM, David Relson
> <david@osagesoftware.com> wrote:
> 
> > H'lo Branko,
> >
> > No nvidia.  The M2A-VM mobo has builtin ATI Radeon X1200 capability
> > so I have no need for a separate video card.
> >
> > As to the IOMMU, I've already changed the BIOS to allow the maximum
> > memory usage (256MB) for the purpose.  The change hasn't stopped the
> > "IOMMU out of space" messages.
> >
> > I'm truly looking for someone running 64 bit gentoo on the M2A-VM
> > mobo and using a new kernel with the CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU capability.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > David
> 
> there are lot's of bios updates for this board that fix
> memory/compatibility issues. You might want to try latest BIOS, which
> currently is version 2201 that was released 10th of November.
> 
> Martin

Hi Martin,

The board was RMA'd about 2 weeks ago.  ASUS reflashed the BIOS and
sent it back.  It still has problems, so it'll be cross shipped to ASUS
this week and I'll have a different board.

As the board is now outside my computer (waiting to be shipped), I
can't verify the BIOS revision.  I'll check that info when the new
board arrives.

Regards,

David

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:20:31 +0100
Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:

> On Montag 15 Dezember 2008, David Relson wrote:
> 
> > The 2.6.25 kernel ran fine for several months before these started
> > appearing, so I suspect a hardware issue.  However, when running
> > 2.6.27's "make xconfig" I noticed there's an AMD_IOMMU option.  I'd
> > very much like to see if it relates to the messages above.
> 
> it is very, very unlikely. The desktop amd 'iommu' is the agpgart -
> and that is unrelated to that option

Ah, well.  It sounded relevant ...

Info appreciated :->

David

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:55:15 +0100
Raffaele BELARDI wrote:

> David Relson wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > Anybody using an ASUS M2A-VM mobo with a 2.6.27 kernel?  When I
> > attempt to boot a 2.6.27 kernel, I see the "Loading modules" message
> > (and messages for loaded modules) and then the boot process hangs.
> > With a 2.6.25 kernel, after all the module messages boot displays
> > "Activating mdev".  I've never seen this message with the 2.6.27
> > kernel.  For that matter, I tried 2.6.26 a while back and had the
> > same problem.
> > 
> > Anybody know about this problem or what might cause it?
> > 
> > On a related note, a few weeks back I started seeing kernel messages
> > like:
> > 
> > PCI-DMA: Out of IOMMU space for 8192 bytes at device 0000:00:14.1 
> > PCI-DMA: Out of IOMMU space for 1536 bytes at device 0000:02:00.0
> > 
> > The 2.6.25 kernel ran fine for several months before these started
> > appearing, so I suspect a hardware issue.  However, when running
> > 2.6.27's "make xconfig" I noticed there's an AMD_IOMMU option.  I'd
> > very much like to see if it relates to the messages above.
> > 
> > If you've got an M2A-VM running, perhaps you could share
> > your .config with me???
> 
> I have used on a M2A-VM without problems the 2.6.27-rc6 from the
> kernel.org, now I am using the 2.6.28-rc6 (well, almost without
> problems, see http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11599, and I
> have yet another  USB-related problem with this mobo).
> 
> I'm on a different box now, I'll send you my .config tomorrow if you
> still need it. But I always have all the modules I need built in the
> kernel and module loading disabled, so I might not be affected by your
> issue.
> 
> I've not seen yet the IOMMU message.
> 
> I did update the BIOS before installing Gentoo, there is one upgrade
> specifically released to support Linux on the Asus support site.
> 
> raf

Hi Raf,

A copy of the .config would be appreciated.  It'll be a few days before
I can test it because the board is boxed up ready to cross-ship to ASUS
for a replacement.

FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it
that the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions with
the kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem with a PCI
USB card.

Regards,

David

[gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Duncan]

David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> posted
20081215074756.33119ced@fit-pc, excerpted below, on  Mon, 15 Dec 2008
07:47:56 -0500:

> FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it that
> the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions with the
> kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem with a PCI USB
> card.

2.6.28 I believe has the fix for that.  If not, .29 will.  There's 
definitely a patch ready, I know that, as I've been following a bug based 
on someone here having that issue.

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman

Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Volker Armin Hemmann]

On Dienstag 16 Dezember 2008, Duncan wrote:
> David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> posted
> 20081215074756.33119ced@fit-pc, excerpted below, on  Mon, 15 Dec 2008
>
> 07:47:56 -0500:
> > FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it that
> > the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions with the
> > kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem with a PCI USB
> > card.
>
> 2.6.28 I believe has the fix for that.  If not, .29 will.  There's
> definitely a patch ready, I know that, as I've been following a bug based
> on someone here having that issue.

the fix is in 2.6.27.8, .9, 2.6.28-rc-something

Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:50:13 +0000 (UTC)
Duncan wrote:

> David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> posted
> 20081215074756.33119ced@fit-pc, excerpted below, on  Mon, 15 Dec 2008
> 07:47:56 -0500:
> 
> > FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it
> > that the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions
> > with the kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem
> > with a PCI USB card.
> 
> 2.6.28 I believe has the fix for that.  If not, .29 will.  There's 
> definitely a patch ready, I know that, as I've been following a bug
> based on someone here having that issue.
> 

Hi Duncan,

That's nice to know.  I've been waiting patiently for the 16 months or
so I've had the SB600 mobo.

Regards,

David

Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Volker Armin Hemmann]

On Dienstag 16 Dezember 2008, Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:
> On Dienstag 16 Dezember 2008, Duncan wrote:
> > David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> posted
> > 20081215074756.33119ced@fit-pc, excerpted below, on  Mon, 15 Dec 2008
> >
> > 07:47:56 -0500:
> > > FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it
> > > that the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions with
> > > the kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem with a PCI
> > > USB card.
> >
> > 2.6.28 I believe has the fix for that.  If not, .29 will.  There's
> > definitely a patch ready, I know that, as I've been following a bug based
> > on someone here having that issue.
>
> the fix is in 2.6.27.8, .9, 2.6.28-rc-something

em, the fix for sb700. Don't know about sb600.

[gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Duncan]

Volker Armin Hemmann <volker.armin.hemmann@tu-clausthal.de> posted
200812160302.10287.volker.armin.hemmann@tu-clausthal.de, excerpted below,
on  Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:02:10 +0100:

> On Dienstag 16 Dezember 2008, Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:
>> On Dienstag 16 Dezember 2008, Duncan wrote:
>> > David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> posted
>> > 20081215074756.33119ced@fit-pc, excerpted below, on  Mon, 15 Dec 2008
>> >
>> > 07:47:56 -0500:
>> > > FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it
>> > > that the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions
>> > > with the kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem
>> > > with a PCI USB card.
>> >
>> > 2.6.28 I believe has the fix for that.  If not, .29 will.  There's
>> > definitely a patch ready, I know that, as I've been following a bug
>> > based on someone here having that issue.
>>
>> the fix is in 2.6.27.8, .9, 2.6.28-rc-something
> 
> em, the fix for sb700. Don't know about sb600.

Yes, the fix for the sb700 USB was the breakthru on the sb600 as well.  
Apparently someone who could code kernel got an sb700, so that's why it 
got the fix first.  Then someone on the sb600 noted the sb700 fix, and 
someone from AMD/ATI got involved, and next thing I saw, there was a 
patch for the sb600 as well.  From the discussion, I believe it's 
basically taking the sb700 patch and generalizing it a bit, then making 
it apply to all the sb600s and conditionally to the early sb700s (the 
later ones apparently have the bug fixed in hardware).

The sb700 patch is therefore a bit ahead of the more generalized patch 
that applies to both, and is in 2.6.27 stable now as well as 2.6.28-rc-
whatever.  I'm not sure if the more generalized patch has/will make it 
into .28 or not, but for sure it'll be in .29 (and probably in .28 stable 
series), if it doesn't make it into .28.

That's from memory.  Since I'm posting a followup, let me go try to find 
the bug to link, and refresh my memory...

... It looks like my memory was correct.  As of the last comment on the 
bug, the sb600 patch hadn't been applied to mainline yet, tho it had been 
accepted by Greg KH.

There's a report that with the patch applied, a direct no-hub transfer 
now pauses, resets the USB root hub, and then resumes.  That's slightly 
worse on a direct connect, but much better with a hub since it actually 
works with a hub now where it wouldn't before.  So it'll probably go in, 
but they might be testing and tweaking a bit more to see if they can fix 
that last hitch before going mainline with it.

Meanwhile, there are several people confirming it does indeed fix the 
problem with a hub on the sb600.

Here's the bug link.  You may wish to CC yourself, to get updates.  As I 
said, you'll see I already am CCed.

http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11599

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman

Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Raffaele BELARDI]

Duncan wrote:
> David Relson <david@osagesoftware.com> posted
> 20081215074756.33119ced@fit-pc, excerpted below, on  Mon, 15 Dec 2008
> 07:47:56 -0500:
> 
>> FWIW, I've had the board for a year or so.  I learned when I got it that
>> the USB support for the SB600 is bad (based on discussions with the
>> kernel USB mailing list).  I worked around that problem with a PCI USB
>> card.
> 
> 2.6.28 I believe has the fix for that.  If not, .29 will.  There's 
> definitely a patch ready, I know that, as I've been following a bug based 
> on someone here having that issue.
> 

Yes, that fix _works_around_ the hw bug of the SB600 as Duncan explained
in another email in this thread. But I still have issues with a 8Gb
Kingston USB key, on this mobo it does not work neither in Gentoo (stops
during read or write transfer with various errors) nor in WindowsXP, so
I have little chance to get it working. The key works fine on all other
PCs I have tested.

I'd not buy again this board, I don't know if I'll buy again Asus.

raf

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Raffaele BELARDI]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 144 bytes --]

David Relson wrote:
> 
> If you've got an M2A-VM running, perhaps you could share your .config
> with me???
> 

In attach, for 2.6.28-rc6.

raf

[-- Attachment #2: config.2.6.28-rc6.gz --]
[-- Type: application/x-tar, Size: 10670 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[Volker Armin Hemmann]

On Dienstag 16 Dezember 2008, Duncan wrote:

> Here's the bug link.  You may wish to CC yourself, to get updates.  As I
> said, you'll see I already am CCed.
>
> http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11599

no thanks, I was the one who reported the sb700 ehci-lockup bug and I was the 
one who tested the sb700 patch. I have a sb700 southbridge and usb is working 
well for me now - so I don't need to be cc'ed to another bug.
But thanks for the link and the time spent finding it.

Re: [gentoo-amd64] ASUS M2A-VM and kernel 2.6.27

[David Relson]

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:26:51 +0100
Raffaele BELARDI wrote:

> David Relson wrote:
> > 
> > If you've got an M2A-VM running, perhaps you could share
> > your .config with me???
> > 
> 
> In attach, for 2.6.28-rc6.
> 
> raf

Thanks, Raf.  I'll give it a try as soon as the replacement mobo
arrives.

Regards,

David