Can you post vmstat 1 logs for each kernel?
Attached is the vmstat output. The CPU stats are pretty interesting.
Kirk
2.4.20: procs memory swap io system cpu r b swpd free buff cache si so bi bo in cs us sy wa id 0 0 0 886312 8612 66152 0 0 0 0 109 88 1 0 0 99 0 0 0 886312 8612 66152 0 0 0 0 132 140 1 0 0 99 2 0 1016 5272 4212 28188 0 368 36 368 115 380 13 65 0 22 1 0 45116 5236 4192 27872 0 40912 4 40912 724 1889 0 22 0 78 1 1 76604 5236 4192 27872 0 30912 0 31004 646 1416 0 17 0 83 0 2 112316 5236 4200 27872 0 36876 12 36872 675 873 0 14 0 86 0 0 3560 930120 4192 27872 0 21536 8 21540 492 487 1 13 0 86 0 0 3304 930372 4192 27876 0 0 0 0 124 45 0 0 0 100 0 0 3304 930372 4192 27876 0 0 0 0 107 24 0 0 0 100 2.6.3: procs memory swap io system cpu r b swpd free buff cache si so bi bo in cs us sy wa id 0 0 41884 862460 752 11916 0 0 0 0 1008 67 0 0 0 100 1 0 41884 692660 756 11912 0 0 0 0 1028 115 9 38 0 53 1 0 41884 254580 756 11912 0 0 0 0 1003 15 3 97 0 0 0 12 52536 4148 128 2232 1124 74012 2128 74184 16321 930 2 60 38 0 4 11 112492 4104 152 2460 180 1856 332 1856 5281 23 0 0 100 0 4 11 131836 4936 152 2728 600 19344 1084 19348 5782 196 0 32 68 0 6 8 151528 4512 172 2624 388 19692 672 19704 5650 134 0 33 67 0 3 10 172484 4688 176 3056 436 20956 1188 20960 5718 200 0 30 70 0 4 10 191760 4448 176 3036 220 19276 668 19288 5533 135 0 53 47 0 5 11 212456 4580 180 3056 416 20696 960 20704 5656 155 0 33 67 0 4 10 231376 4256 180 3176 124 18920 488 18924 5429 145 7 50 43 0 0 7 41996 880800 208 4340 496 124 1740 136 1177 174 0 28 72 0 0 4 41996 878752 216 5608 900 0 2180 0 1092 164 0 2 98 0 0 4 41996 876576 224 6880 896 0 2192 0 1094 174 0 0 100 0 0 2 41996 874280 236 8032 1148 0 2308 0 1138 241 0 2 98 0 0 3 41996 871976 248 9220 1044 0 2236 4 1121 226 0 2 98 0 0 0 41996 870696 264 9728 768 0 1284 48 1074 161 7 1 39 52 0 0 41996 870696 264 9728 0 0 0 0 1024 42 0 0 0 100 0 0 41996 870700 264 9728 0 0 0 0 1003 17 0 0 0 100 0 0 41996 870700 264 9728 0 0 0 0 1023 40 0 0 0 100
