> Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 07:00:13 +1000
   > From: matthew green <mrg@eterna.com.au>
   > To: kamel derouiche <derouiche_dz@yahoo.fr>
   > Cc: tech-kern@NetBSD.org
   > Subject: re: PMC Counter are not supported 
   > 
   >
   > pmc(4) is only supported on some machines.  non-SMP pentium3 systems
   > only, last i checked.
   
   not quite.
   In fact, Intel 585 works (Pentium, Pentium II, Pentium III), as well
   as AMD K7 (Athlon).

yeah, i mis-remembered.  also some arm platforms support it.
   
   I assume, the processor of the original poster is a Pentium 4.
   These have a different event counter hardware and interface, which would 
   necessiate a change in the API for pmc (I think).

actually, most of the work is in the kernel.  the only API change would be
adding PMC_CLASS_P4/PMC_TYPE_P4* (see <machine/pmc.h> on i386) defines, i
think.
   
   As for multiprocessor machines, the current performance counting interface 
   simply does not work, as there is no way to bind performance counter settings 
   to processes/CPUs  ATM (or processes to CPUs).

right.  pmc(4) is disabled on MP systems.


.mrg.