Re: [PATCH] x86_64: fix problems due to use of "outb" to port 80on some AMD64x2 laptops, etc.

From: H. Peter Anvin
Date: Fri Dec 14 2007 - 21:21:17 EST


David P. Reed wrote:

I believe (though no one seems to have confirming documentation from the chipset or motherboard vendor) that port 80 is actually functional for some unknown function on these machines. (They do respond to "in" instructions faster than a bus cycle abort does - more evidence).


This is normal. IN from port 0x80 is used by the DMA address map chip.

As far as I understand, there are other laptops with the same chipset which don't have this problem, so it's likely either a motherboard or firmware issue. My guess is that they probably let debugging code out in the field (trap port 0x80 in SMM, and then try to output it on some debugging bus.)

-hpa
--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/