Problems with dual processor boards (VIA chipset)

Support knowledgebase (via_smp)

SuSE Linux: Version 7.2
This article refers to an older version of SuSE Linux. Therefore some of the informations given in this article may be outdated or the article may contain stale links.

Kernel: Version 2.4

Symptom:

After the first installation and a restart the following error message appears:

probable hardware bug: clock timer configuration lost - probably a VIA686a.
probable hardware bug: restoring chip configuration

This error occurs in case of some dual processor mainboards with the chipsets from the list below:

14: PCI 01.0: 0604 PCI bridge (Normal decode)
    [Created at pci.64]
    Unique ID: gpLh.G5TSYaRmfUB
    Vendor: 1106 "VIA Technologies, Inc."
    Model: 8598 "VT82C598/694x [Apollo MVP3/Pro133x AGP]"

15: PCI 04.0: 0601 ISA bridge
    [Created at pci.64]
    Unique ID: 6K6k.H3vNblbgqj1
    Vendor: 1106 "VIA Technologies, Inc."
    Model: 0686 "VT82C686 [Apollo Super South]"
    SubVendor: 1043 "Asustek Computer, Inc."
    SubDevice: 8038 "?"
    Revision: 0x40

16: PCI 04.1: 0101 IDE interface
    [Created at pci.64]
    Unique ID: 4jOM.nQ0NSFVw5Y0
    Vendor: 1106 "VIA Technologies, Inc."
    Model: 0571 "Bus Master IDE"
    Revision: 0x06
    I/O Ports: 0xb800-0xb80f (rw)
    I/O Ports: 0x170-0x177 (rw)
    I/O Port: 0x376 (rw)
    IRQ: 15 (1340 events)

19: PCI 04.4: 0600 Host bridge
    [Created at pci.64]
    Unique ID: OnAE.E6VK8v0Jvy4
    Vendor: 1106 "VIA Technologies, Inc."
    Model: 3057 "VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI]"
    Revision: 0x40

To get the information about the chipset use the command below:

	hwinfo --pci 

Cause:

Missing SMP support in kernel 2.4, respectivly the wrong kernel!?

Solution:

Please install the kernel 2.4 with SMP support.