diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt')
-rw-r--r-- | Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt | 16 |
1 files changed, 7 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt b/Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt index 757c729ee42e..90aa4531cb67 100644 --- a/Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt +++ b/Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt | |||
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ us to generate 'watchdog NMI interrupts'. (NMI: Non Maskable Interrupt | |||
10 | which get executed even if the system is otherwise locked up hard). | 10 | which get executed even if the system is otherwise locked up hard). |
11 | This can be used to debug hard kernel lockups. By executing periodic | 11 | This can be used to debug hard kernel lockups. By executing periodic |
12 | NMI interrupts, the kernel can monitor whether any CPU has locked up, | 12 | NMI interrupts, the kernel can monitor whether any CPU has locked up, |
13 | and print out debugging messages if so. | 13 | and print out debugging messages if so. |
14 | 14 | ||
15 | In order to use the NMI watchdog, you need to have APIC support in your | 15 | In order to use the NMI watchdog, you need to have APIC support in your |
16 | kernel. For SMP kernels, APIC support gets compiled in automatically. For | 16 | kernel. For SMP kernels, APIC support gets compiled in automatically. For |
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ CONFIG_X86_UP_IOAPIC is for uniprocessor with an IO-APIC. [Note: certain | |||
22 | kernel debugging options, such as Kernel Stack Meter or Kernel Tracer, | 22 | kernel debugging options, such as Kernel Stack Meter or Kernel Tracer, |
23 | may implicitly disable the NMI watchdog.] | 23 | may implicitly disable the NMI watchdog.] |
24 | 24 | ||
25 | For x86-64, the needed APIC is always compiled in, and the NMI watchdog is | 25 | For x86-64, the needed APIC is always compiled in. |
26 | always enabled with I/O-APIC mode (nmi_watchdog=1). | ||
27 | 26 | ||
28 | Using local APIC (nmi_watchdog=2) needs the first performance register, so | 27 | Using local APIC (nmi_watchdog=2) needs the first performance register, so |
29 | you can't use it for other purposes (such as high precision performance | 28 | you can't use it for other purposes (such as high precision performance |
@@ -63,16 +62,15 @@ when the system is idle), but if your system locks up on anything but the | |||
63 | "hlt", then you are out of luck -- the event will not happen at all and the | 62 | "hlt", then you are out of luck -- the event will not happen at all and the |
64 | watchdog won't trigger. This is a shortcoming of the local APIC watchdog | 63 | watchdog won't trigger. This is a shortcoming of the local APIC watchdog |
65 | -- unfortunately there is no "clock ticks" event that would work all the | 64 | -- unfortunately there is no "clock ticks" event that would work all the |
66 | time. The I/O APIC watchdog is driven externally and has no such shortcoming. | 65 | time. The I/O APIC watchdog is driven externally and has no such shortcoming. |
67 | But its NMI frequency is much higher, resulting in a more significant hit | 66 | But its NMI frequency is much higher, resulting in a more significant hit |
68 | to the overall system performance. | 67 | to the overall system performance. |
69 | 68 | ||
70 | NOTE: starting with 2.4.2-ac18 the NMI-oopser is disabled by default, | 69 | On x86 nmi_watchdog is disabled by default so you have to enable it with |
71 | you have to enable it with a boot time parameter. Prior to 2.4.2-ac18 | 70 | a boot time parameter. |
72 | the NMI-oopser is enabled unconditionally on x86 SMP boxes. | ||
73 | 71 | ||
74 | On x86-64 the NMI oopser is on by default. On 64bit Intel CPUs | 72 | NOTE: In kernels prior to 2.4.2-ac18 the NMI-oopser is enabled unconditionally |
75 | it uses IO-APIC by default and on AMD it uses local APIC. | 73 | on x86 SMP boxes. |
76 | 74 | ||
77 | [ feel free to send bug reports, suggestions and patches to | 75 | [ feel free to send bug reports, suggestions and patches to |
78 | Ingo Molnar <mingo@redhat.com> or the Linux SMP mailing | 76 | Ingo Molnar <mingo@redhat.com> or the Linux SMP mailing |