On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 18:18:24 +1100, Dmitri Nikulin
<setagllib@optusnet.com.au> wrote:
> 
> 
> Sean Davis wrote:
> 
> > My main question is... is there any advantage to be gained by enabling
> > the ioapic support in the kernel? It is currently disabled, and the
> > box runs just fine... but this is also my first machine to even HAVE
> > an APIC, so I know jack about it.
> >
> > Any advice is appreciated.
> >
> Where ACPI configures devices for you, the APIC routes IRQs and handles
> processor information (vital for SMP, optional for UP). Handy since this
> usually gets the 'optimal' configuration, and means modern standards (no
> static BIOS fetching for device configs) are complied with (people who
> know more than me, please correct this, since I know it's a
> misunderstanding). Linux, Free and NetBSD all do this now if you have
> the support in the kernel.
> 
> I'm not sure if it has any real impact on performance, that's something
> only a low-level developer could tell you. I certainly haven't noticed
> any difference. But it does make dmesg look cooler :)
> 
> How old were your previous machines?

I've got a 1ghz duron (currently offline, because the motherboard
likes to reboot randomly), a p3 650mhz, a p3 600mhz, an ultra 5 with a
333mhz/2MB cpu module, and an Ultra 1 170E.

My oldest NetBSD machine is an 80386DX-33 ;-)


-- 
Sean