UNI kernel not supported

[yoda]

When trying to install the WPI package, it claims that UNI kernel is not supported, and refuses to install. I have 14.105 UNI krnl installed. According to readme, 'ONLY SMP and UNI kernels are supported', so why does it reject to install ?

[David Azarewicz]

That is correct. The UNI kernel is not supported by the Warpin installer per Roderick. The PSD will run on the UNI kernel, at least for now. If you want to install on a system running the UNI kernel, you must manually install. In addition, although the PSD will run on the UNI kernel, some kernel specific PSD features may not work.

[yoda]

Well, unpacked it and installed it, and it works fine with UNI. So did Pasha's older drivers, so I expected that. Who figured out to rule UNI out of WPI script ? I hope this is fixed in next version.

[ecsnl]

At the time Pasha kept running into troubles to get suspend resume to work with UNI kernel. Then SMP was broken then UNI etc. At that moment I decided to simply make his job easier because he only had to support the SMP kernel.

That logic is still left in the Warpin package ever since. I could consider supporting the UNI kernel. But I don't really see any value add in running the UNI kernel. We use the _W4 in some virtual machines where SMP bombs out the VM. And SMP on live hardware.

Over the years I have heard some theories the SMP kernel does not work with some applications but for me that has so far proven to be a red haring. And if you need to run an application either use /maxcpu=1 with acpi.psd or run markexe to run an application SMP unsafe...

So I could consider supporting the UNI kernel. But I right now have no technical arguments to do so.

[yoda]

Since SMP kernel offers no advantage to single CPU systems, and SMP kernel is 10-15% slower than UNI kernel, I do see the benefit of using UNI on all single CPU systems. As README in ACPI package says that UNI is supported, I assume this is tested by David, so I can't find a single reason to reject installing ACPI on UNI kernel system.

[ecsnl]

As far as I can remember the _W4 and UNI kernel load with the same OS2LDR file. However the SMP kernel uses the other OS2LDR file. Did I remember that correctly ?! :-) It has been some time ago that I used the UNI kernel.

Anyway booting systems with 3 or 4 GB of RAM can trap with the _W4 kernel. The solution is to boot with the _W4 kernel. We found out by accident that the SMP kernel fixes this issue. I never tested this scenario with the UNI kernel.

[yoda]

Replying to ecsnl:

As far as I can remember the _W4 and UNI kernel load with the same OS2LDR file. However the SMP kernel uses the other OS2LDR file. Did I remember that correctly ?! :-)

Yep, that is correct :-) I have however no idea, what the differences are. I mostly used OS4LDR in all previous years, and that works fine on all kernels.

It has been some time ago that I used the UNI kernel.

Thats really a bit strange. All the years I've helped testing ACPI, Pavel always said, that W4 was not supported for ACPI; only UNI and SMP could be used.

Anyway booting systems with 3 or 4 GB of RAM can trap with the _W4 kernel. The solution is to boot with the _W4 kernel.

Ehh ? I assume you meant SMP - since you say you never used UNI.

We found out by accident that the SMP kernel fixes this issue. I never tested this scenario with the UNI kernel.

W4 kernel was only meant for Warp 4 systems - never for WSEB or Warp 4.5 aka eCS. Since W4 kernel never could be used safely with ACPI, I have never understood, why you keep using it in newer eCS builds.

Anyway - This ticket is only for fixing the WPI install script, so ACPI package can install on the already supported UNI kernel. Please fix that.

[David Azarewicz]

The level of support for the UNI kernel has already fallen behind the level of support for the SMP kernel. It would take a significant amount of effort to bring the UNI kernel support up to the level of support for the SMP kernel. Originally I had wanted to continue to support the UNI kernel since it was no effort to do so. Now things have changed and it is time to drop support for the UNI kernels. You can continue to use the UNI kernel if you like, and it should continue to work, although with reduced functionality.

All references to support for the UNI kernel have been removed from the documentation. The Warpin installer will continue to refuse to install on systems with the UNI kernel installed. This ticket will eventually be closed with a "wontfix" resolution.