Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S933032AbZLMC3c (ORCPT ); Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:29:32 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932216AbZLMC3c (ORCPT ); Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:29:32 -0500 Received: from qmta04.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.62.40]:36172 "HELO QMTA04.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id S932214AbZLMC3c (ORCPT ); Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:29:32 -0500 Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:39:27 -0500 From: Frank Peters To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Microcode Module Hangs - Won't Load Microcode Message-Id: <20091212113927.398ef513.frank.peters@comcast.net> X-Mailer: Sylpheed 2.7.1 (GTK+ 2.18.3; x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 2594 Lines: 53 This is not a new problem. I do not recall exactly when I first noticed it but it has existed for at least a few years. The issue is not serious and thus I have not reported it previously. Whenever I load the microcode module using modprobe, the process seems to hang and requires about four minutes to complete. After the module is finally loaded, the microcode data cannot be installed to the CPU using the microcode_ctl utility. Here is the kernel log after executing "modprobe microcode." My machine is a Core 2 Quad and has four CPU's. Dec 11 23:24:25 (none) kernel: microcode: CPU0 sig=0x6fb, pf=0x10, revision=0xb6 Dec 11 23:24:25 (none) kernel: platform microcode: firmware: requesting intel-ucode/06-0f-0b Dec 11 23:25:25 (none) kernel: microcode: CPU1 sig=0x6fb, pf=0x10, revision=0xb6 Dec 11 23:25:25 (none) kernel: platform microcode: firmware: requesting intel-ucode/06-0f-0b Dec 11 23:26:25 (none) kernel: microcode: CPU2 sig=0x6fb, pf=0x10, revision=0xb6 Dec 11 23:26:25 (none) kernel: platform microcode: firmware: requesting intel-ucode/06-0f-0b Dec 11 23:27:25 (none) kernel: microcode: CPU3 sig=0x6fb, pf=0x10, revision=0xb6 Dec 11 23:27:25 (none) kernel: platform microcode: firmware: requesting intel-ucode/06-0f-0b Dec 11 23:28:25 (none) kernel: Microcode Update Driver: v2.00 , Peter Oruba Notice that there is a one minute wait for each CPU. This should not be happening. Furthermore, the log indicates that the microcode module is successfully loaded, but yet no microcode data can be installed using the command: microcode_ctl -f /etc/microcode.dat The result of the command reports that the microcode data has been loaded but the kernel log shows nothing when it should indicate a successful install. Also, the same command can be repeated again and again and it will always report that new microcode data has been loaded. This behavior indicates that the microcode data has not been loaded. Currently I am using kernel 2.6.32 but this problem has been observed for several previous versions (how far back it goes I cannot be certain). What can be done to solve or debug this issue? As I mentioned, the problem is not serious, but the microcode driver should function as advertised. Please CC to "frank.peters at comcast.net" as I am not subscribed to the list. Frank Peters -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/