Most recent kernel where this bug did not occur: 2.6.16 Distribution: Gentoo Hardware Environment: Acer TravelMate 3001 Celeron-M 1.3G i915G Chipset (HPET_TIMER) 1G memory 40GB samsung IDE (8M cache) Software Environment: udev/coldplug/hotplug/alsa/bash Problem Description: Everytime I turn on PM_TIMER in kernel, my system hangs up when UDEV is starting up(however I can reboot it with CTRL_ALT_DEL), so I have to disable PM_TIMER in kernel. But, since 2.6.16, there is no option for PM_TIMER, and PM_TIMER is automatically turned on, my system hangs up at UDEV stage. Steps to reproduce: compile and install kernel 2.6.16 reboot
It is a bug if you have to un-config PM_TIMER to boot. anyway, lets get some clues. With PM_TIMER included, do any of the "clock=*" options make the system boot properly? * can be "pit, tsc, or hpet"
Unfortunately, none of clock=* options have worked for me. PM timer acts strangely in my Linux system. I guess it affects all 2.6.x kernels. I have tried to use the minimal config of the kernel 2.6.14/16 (2.6.15 crashes my computer even if I turned off PM timer) with PM timer turned on. it hangs up at "Coldplug/Hotplug" stage. The chipset of TravelMate 3000 is i915G, I'm using the latest BIOS from Acer engineering website: http://csd.acer.com.tw/SI/Download2.nsf/NotebookWeb username: guest password: guest
Sorry, I realize that the issue might not be caused by timers. This morning I just disable PM timer by modifying /usr/src/linux/include/linux/autoconf.h And it still hangs up somewhere just before login prompt appears (still can reboot by CTRL_ALT_DEL) With same kernel configuration I got no problem for 2.6.14. and no problem for 2.6.15 if PM timer is disabled. but a problem for 2.6.16 no matter if the PM timer is set.
News: mm-version kernel 2.6.16-mm has no problem at all!
Just now I disabled Gentoo-linux parallel-services (/etc/conf.d/rc: RC_PARALLEL_STARTUP="no"), and then the system boot-up normally! this happens on >=2.6.15 kernels.