Bug 109267

Summary:	FreeBSD 6.2 Stable Kernel Update Prevents Dell PowerEdge 1750 (SMP) From Booting
Product:	Base System	Reporter:	Sean Benoit <sean>
Component:	i386	Assignee:	freebsd-i386 (Nobody) <i386>
Status:	Closed FIXED
Severity:	Affects Only Me
Priority:	Normal
Version:	Unspecified
Hardware:	Any
OS:	Any

Description Sean Benoit 2007-02-18 07:40:04 UTC

As stated in the one line summary. We tried to update the FreeBSD kernel
from 6.2 Pre-Release to 6.2 Release (Stable) and our Dell PowerEdge 1750
multi-processor machines freeze on while detecting the second processor.

In order to get the machines to boot, the second processor must be disabled
in the BIOS.

We had EXACTLY the same problem a few months ago when we updated to 6.2
Pre-Release. It was reported here and you kindly provided a patch extremely
quickly. However, the same bug seems to have made its way into the current
release.

Fix: 

Disable the second processor in the Dell BIOS.
How-To-Repeat: Simply update to the 6.2 Release (Stable) kernel on a Dell PowerEdge 1750
with SMP enabled and watch it freeze on boot while detecting the second
processor.

Comment 1 Robert Watson freebsd_committer

2007-02-23 15:20:27 UTC

State Changed
From-To: open->feedback

Is the problem described in this PR and your smp@ posting the same as the 
one described in PR 103697? 

http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=103697 

Could you confirm whether you are using the ULE scheduler or not? 

SMP posting attached for reference to the PR: 

> Last fall, while updating a 6.1 Stable kernel to 6.2 Pre-Release, I noted 
> that the then new kernel caused all our previously functioning Dell 
> PowerEdge 1750s (dual processor) to freeze on boot at the point in the 
> boot process where the second processor was being detected. Disabling the 
> second processor in the BIOS served as a temporary workaround and enabled 
> the systems to boot successfully. 
>  
> At that time I submitted a PR via the website and a patch was issued 
> within a few hours. The patch resolved the problem. I didn't keep that 
> original correspondence because I assumed that all was well moving 
> forward. 
>  
> Last weekend I attempted to update the same systems for the first time 
> since last fall from the patched 6.2 Pre-Release kernel to the new 6.2 
> Stable kernel. I was alarmed to see that the EXACT same issue had 
> reappeared. The symptoms are exactly the same - as is the workaround 
> (disable the second processor in the BIOS). 
>  
> I have once again submitted a PR (109267) via the website (details at 
> http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=109267); however, I have been 
> advised that I should post the issue to this mailing list instead/prior. 
>  
> Not sure what to do from here...

Comment 2 Mark Linimon freebsd_committer

2007-04-22 11:12:16 UTC

State Changed
From-To: feedback->closed

Feedback timeout (>1 month). 

Please note that if you are still seeing this problem, we can reopen 
this one.