Hi all,
I'm the owner of a nice Targa Traveller 826 (BIOS Vendor: American
Megatrends Inc. - Version: A1029ATE V2.81. More info in attachment:
"BIOS-targa_traveller_826.dmidecode"). For a long time I experienced
kernel panic with my gentoo and after with my ubuntu.
First I thought it was a USB related bug in the kernel because, while
the computer was running on battery, each time my mouse was not
connected to the laptop, I always experienced a kernel panic. Then not
getting much better results with newer kernels, I tried another way. I
read some documentations on power management, ACPI, etc. I also heard
about computers's BIOS frequently buggy, especially concerning ACPI
management. And then I bumped on an article on lesswatts.org, explaining
how to debug and override a DSDT and therefore fix BIOS buggy ACPI
management. I thought it was something to try... And tried and it worked
very well.
After extracting, disassembling and rebuilding a first ime my DSDT, it
appears that there was an error in the extracted/disassembled code. So I
tried to fix the error as you can see in second attachment:
"DSDT-targa_traveller_826.patch". Then I retried to build my DSDT and
this time it worked. Finally, it seemed to be a CPU freq table
erroneously declared, if I'm right, that was the cause of my kernel
panics. A table with the 4 available CPU freq declared at the same
"index ?" and a table uselessly filled with null entries. So I removed
the indexes, "to force automatic indexing ?" and I removed the useless
empty entries in the table.
--- DSDT.dsl~ 2009-01-27 22:00:17.000000000 +0100
+++ DSDT.dsl 2009-01-27 22:01:51.000000000 +0100
@@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
})
Name (_PSS, Package (0x04)
{
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x000007D0,
0x000088B8,
@@ -1252,7 +1252,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0x0000010C
},
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x00000708,
0x00006590,
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0x0000020A
},
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x00000640,
0x00005208,
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0x00000288
},
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x00000320,
0x00002328,
@@ -1281,139 +1281,6 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0xE0202CC0,
0x000004C0
},
-
- Zero,
- Zero,
[...]
For now 6 months, I'm running my ubuntu with my own fixed DSDT, as the
following kernel logs can attest:
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.120805] ACPI: Core revision 20080926
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.121973] ACPI: Checking initramfs for
custom DSDT
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.407812] ACPI: Found DSDT in DSDT.aml.
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.407816] ACPI: Override [DSDT- 1029],
this is unsafe: tainting kernel
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.407821] ACPI: Table DSDT replaced by
host OS
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.407825] ACPI: DSDT 00000000, 2BAD
(r1 MSI 1029 4192006 INTL 20061109)
Aug 10 20:01:40 * kernel: [ 0.407829] ACPI: DSDT override uses
original SSDTs unless "acpi_no_auto_ssdt"
And since I'm using my own fixed DSDT, I never experienced anymore
kernel panic on my laptop, in any configuration (on or not on battery,
with or without mouse, usb audio, usb disk, etc.).
So I consider that my little DSDT patch is working as expected. I think
that now it is time for more people to test it, if possible. And then
try to consider implementing a workaround, of this AMI buggy BIOS, into
the GNU/Linux kernel. But for this, I'm totally lost and don't have much
time to explore this way much. That's why I give everybody, the results
of my peregrinations, and first of all, the solution I found and tested.
I hope this will help people use ACPI again on targa traveller 826
(especially with ubuntu, where it is automatically disabled for this
laptop) and allow people to use safely CPU freq with this laptop. I also
hope that this solution will be taken into account in the next versions
of the GNU/Linux kernel. For that last expectation, if can help in any
way, please let me now. Also if anybody can help me create a ACPI patch
from my DSDT.dsl patch, I'm OK to try, do it and propose an ACPI kernel
patch.
Kind Regards.
--
Alexandre Beaugy
# dmidecode 2.9
SMBIOS 2.3 present.
15 structures occupying 789 bytes.
Table at 0x000FAB60.
Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 20 bytes
BIOS Information
Vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
Version: A1029ATE V2.81
Release Date: 04/19/2006
Address: 0xF0000
Runtime Size: 64 kB
ROM Size: 512 kB
Characteristics:
ISA is supported
EISA is supported
PCI is supported
PC Card (PCMCIA) is supported
PNP is supported
BIOS is upgradeable
BIOS shadowing is allowed
ESCD support is available
Boot from CD is supported
Selectable boot is supported
EDD is supported
Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
Serial services are supported (int 14h)
CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h)
ACPI is supported
USB legacy is supported
AGP is supported
Smart battery is supported
BIOS boot specification is supported
Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 25 bytes
System Information
Manufacturer: MICRO-STAR INT'L CO.,LTD
Product Name: MS-1029
Version: 0291
Serial Number: FFFFFFFF
UUID: 00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009
Wake-up Type: Power Switch
Handle 0x0002, DMI type 3, 17 bytes
Chassis Information
Manufacturer: MICRO-STAR INT'L CO.,LTD
Type: Notebook
Lock: Not Present
Version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Serial Number: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Asset Tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Boot-up State: Safe
Power Supply State: Safe
Thermal State: Safe
Security Status: None
OEM Information: 0x000004D2
Handle 0x0003, DMI type 4, 35 bytes
Processor Information
Socket Designation: CPU 1
Type: Central Processor
Family: Athlon 64
Manufacturer: AMD
ID: C0 0F 01 00 FF FB 8B 07
Signature: Family 15, Model 28, Stepping 0
Flags:
FPU (Floating-point unit on-chip)
VME (Virtual mode extension)
DE (Debugging extension)
PSE (Page size extension)
TSC (Time stamp counter)
MSR (Model specific registers)
PAE (Physical address extension)
MCE (Machine check exception)
CX8 (CMPXCHG8 instruction supported)
APIC (On-chip APIC hardware supported)
SEP (Fast system call)
MTRR (Memory type range registers)
PGE (Page global enable)
MCA (Machine check architecture)
CMOV (Conditional move instruction supported)
PAT (Page attribute table)
PSE-36 (36-bit page size extension)
CLFSH (CLFLUSH instruction supported)
MMX (MMX technology supported)
FXSR (Fast floating-point save and restore)
SSE (Streaming SIMD extensions)
SSE2 (Streaming SIMD extensions 2)
Version: Mobile AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+
Voltage: 3.3 V 2.9 V
External Clock: 200 MHz
Max Speed: 2000 MHz
Current Speed: 2000 MHz
Status: Populated, Enabled
Upgrade: Socket 754
L1 Cache Handle: 0x0004
L2 Cache Handle: 0x0005
L3 Cache Handle: Not Provided
Serial Number: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Asset Tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Part Number: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Handle 0x0004, DMI type 7, 19 bytes
Cache Information
Socket Designation: L1-Cache
Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 1
Operational Mode: Varies With Memory Address
Location: Internal
Installed Size: 64 KB
Maximum Size: 64 KB
Supported SRAM Types:
Pipeline Burst
Installed SRAM Type: Pipeline Burst
Speed: Unknown
Error Correction Type: Single-bit ECC
System Type: Data
Associativity: 4-way Set-associative
Handle 0x0005, DMI type 7, 19 bytes
Cache Information
Socket Designation: L2-Cache
Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 2
Operational Mode: Varies With Memory Address
Location: Internal
Installed Size: 512 KB
Maximum Size: 512 KB
Supported SRAM Types:
Pipeline Burst
Installed SRAM Type: Pipeline Burst
Speed: Unknown
Error Correction Type: Single-bit ECC
System Type: Unified
Associativity: 4-way Set-associative
Handle 0x0006, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
Designation: RC593
Type: 32-bit PC Card (PCMCIA)
Current Usage: Available
Length: Short
ID: Adapter 0, Socket 0
Characteristics:
5.0 V is provided
3.3 V is provided
PC Card-16 is supported
Cardbus is supported
Handle 0x0007, DMI type 16, 15 bytes
Physical Memory Array
Location: System Board Or Motherboard
Use: System Memory
Error Correction Type: None
Maximum Capacity: 8 GB
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Number Of Devices: 2
Handle 0x0008, DMI type 19, 15 bytes
Memory Array Mapped Address
Starting Address: 0x00000000000
Ending Address: 0x0005FFFFFFF
Range Size: 1536 MB
Physical Array Handle: 0x0007
Partition Width: 0
Handle 0x0009, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0x0007
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 72 bits
Size: 512 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: DIMM0
Bank Locator: BANK0
Type: DDR
Type Detail: Synchronous
Speed: 266 MHz (3.8 ns)
Manufacturer: Manufacturer0
Serial Number: SerNum0
Asset Tag: AssetTagNum0
Part Number: PartNum0
Handle 0x000A, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
Starting Address: 0x00000000000
Ending Address: 0x0001FFFFFFF
Range Size: 512 MB
Physical Device Handle: 0x0009
Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0008
Partition Row Position: 1
Handle 0x000B, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0x0007
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 72 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: DIMM1
Bank Locator: BANK1
Type: DDR
Type Detail: Synchronous
Speed: 266 MHz (3.8 ns)
Manufacturer: Manufacturer1
Serial Number: SerNum1
Asset Tag: AssetTagNum1
Part Number: PartNum1
Handle 0x000C, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
Starting Address: 0x00020000000
Ending Address: 0x0005FFFFFFF
Range Size: 1 GB
Physical Device Handle: 0x000B
Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0008
Partition Row Position: 1
Handle 0x000D, DMI type 32, 20 bytes
System Boot Information
Status: No errors detected
Handle 0x000E, DMI type 127, 4 bytes
End Of Table
--- DSDT.dsl~ 2009-01-27 22:00:17.000000000 +0100
+++ DSDT.dsl 2009-01-27 22:01:51.000000000 +0100
@@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
})
Name (_PSS, Package (0x04)
{
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x000007D0,
0x000088B8,
@@ -1252,7 +1252,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0x0000010C
},
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x00000708,
0x00006590,
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0x0000020A
},
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x00000640,
0x00005208,
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0x00000288
},
- Package (0x06)
+ Package ()
{
0x00000320,
0x00002328,
@@ -1281,139 +1281,6 @@ DefinitionBlock ("DSDT.aml", "DSDT", 1,
0xE0202CC0,
0x000004C0
},
-
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
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- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
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- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
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- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero,
- Zero
})
Method (_PPC, 0, NotSerialized)
{
