Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 10:57:50 -0700 From: Erich Boleyn <erich@uruk.org> To: Steve Passe <smp@csn.net> Cc: Ben Black <black@zen.cypher.net>, Kevin Van Maren <vanmaren@fast.cs.utah.edu>, freebsd-smp@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Headsup: SMP_AUTOSTART Message-ID: <E0wPXRv-00040s-00@uruk.org> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 07 May 1997 15:56:25 MDT." <199705072156.PAA06000@Ilsa.StevesCafe.com>
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Steve Passe <smp@csn.net> wrote: > In the Intel SMP spec they differentiate the processors as > bootstrap processor (BSP) and application processors (APs). > > This is mostly semantics and doesn't imply any differences in CPU > priority when running SMP. It is primarily for describing the bootstrap > sequence and how its achieved. There are 2 differences: -- The BP can always run the BIOS, and the APs might only work with some parts of it (for example, many machines don't support booting from an arbitrary CPU socket). -- The BP might be connected to special hardware for PC compatibility which isn't connected to the APs at all. This is sometimes the case for systems which don't use "Virtual Wire" compatibility mode. The implication here is that DOS interrupts may not be able to be routed to APs unless the switch to "Symmetric Interrupt Mode" is done, and even then maybe not (if the APIC doesn't have all it's inputs connected to the appropriate PCI/EISA/ISA IRQs). -- Erich Stefan Boleyn \_ E-mail (preferred): <erich@uruk.org> Mad Genius wanna-be, CyberMuffin \__ (finger me for other stats) Web: http://www.uruk.org/~erich/ Motto: "I'll live forever or die trying"
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