Re: 2.1.42

Benson L Chow (bc3c+@andrew.cmu.edu)
Thu, 5 Jun 1997 21:35:53 -0400 (EDT)


I still own [and use!] 386DX40 that I use as a network server / PPP-MASQ
router / bootpd / named / whatever i want to throw on it. It only has
8MB, and has been running linux quite nicely. It has no math
coprocessor, and it doesn't need one. It would be a shame if I couldn't
upgrade this machine's kernel to one that is resistant to the newest
types of nasty people who exploit networking holes. 2.0.30 runs nicely!

There are tons of uses for these old machines, I really think it's a bad
idea to remove support, since the hardware still isn't much different
from mainstream systems. BTW, most PC machines use edge-triggered, and
*should* automatically reset when INTACK occurs, unless your machine
somehow crashes so that it won't reset... and removing edge trigger
support will kill ISA...

I would suggest that you try compiling that kernel again, on perhaps
another machine. Check your hardware a bit. Also, could it possibly be
that you have a MCA machine like the PS2/55sx? I don't have much
experience with the 55sx (since Chris Beauguard says it should work fine
with normal kernels), but I hear that MCA, if you don't compile with MCA
kernel support, will crash the computer with irq0 stuck asserted (makes
sense, in a true level-triggered interrupt system.)

[on a side note, I have a PS2 80 (386DX20) that I have linux/MCA running
on. It pukes when trying to fsck a drive. It turns out the drive is
dying and that's why it's crashing.]

-bc