[Freeipmi-devel] Bmc-watchdog causing processor disabling

[Albert Chu]

This is primarily for the benefit of future googlers.

On Intel Tiger4s, the hardware based SMI Handler will disable a
processor if the bmc-watchdog BIOS FRB2 flag is set upon boot.  The BIOS
FRB2 flag can be set by if the timer use flag is set to BIOS FRB2 and
the bmc-watchdog timer times out.  The processor disabling can be
avoided if the BIOS FRB2 flag is cleared before booting, but that is
typically impossible because most will set the bmc-watchdog timer action
to down, cycle, or reset.  The solution is to change the bmc-watchdog
timer use to SMS/OS.

I wouldn't be surprised if other strange things occur with the other
timer use flags like BIOS/POST or OS/Load.  But it is something to be
aware of.

Al

--
Albert Chu
address@hidden
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory