Re: SMP speed on 6x86 UP

Brian Gerst (bgerst@quark.vpplus.com)
Wed, 18 Mar 1998 00:47:33 +0000


Kurt Garloff wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I tested the implementation of spinlocks in 2.1.89 and booted an SMP kernel
> on my single CPU machine (FIC PA-2010, VIA Apollo VP, 1xIBM 6x86-P166+ at
> 133 MHz) and the bogomips (= frequency in MHz on this CPU) dropped from 133
> to 33. Not only the bogusmips value drops but also the system performance.
> With CPU intensive code, I see exactly the same thing: 1/4 of the
> performance, I have with a UP kernel.
>
> Anybody got any idea. May the APIC code touch chipset or processor ports?

First off, bogomips are really a meaningless measurement. Every
brand/model of processor can have a different bogomips rating for the
same MHz speed. It is only a measure of how the processor handles tight
loops. (ie, my K6-233 shows ~466 bogomips, a 2x factor, while my 6x86
showed a 1x factor) The 6x86 wasn't designed to do SMP (at least
Intel's version of SMP), as it does not have a true APIC. Given that, I
wouldn't even try to run an SMP kernel on a 6x86. Last time I tried (by
accident) I got a ton of oopses.

-- 

Brian Gerst

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