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Date:      Wed, 19 Dec 2001 15:13:42 -0800 (PST)
From:      Doug White <dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu>
To:        Matthew Dillon <dillon@apollo.backplane.com>
Cc:        <freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: Seeing a lot of 'microuptime() went backwards' messages during heavy disk I/O
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.4.33.0112191507080.36795-100000@resnet.uoregon.edu>
In-Reply-To: <200112192259.fBJMxMF90892@apollo.backplane.com>

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On Wed, 19 Dec 2001, Matthew Dillon wrote:

>     I'm seeing a lot of this during heavy disk I/O (5 postmark benchmarks
>     running in parallel):
>
> microuptime() went backwards (44525.3954411 -> 44524.563978)
> microuptime() went backwards (57425.4282241 -> 57424.766121)
> microuptime() went backwards (57425.4282241 -> 57424.845844)
> microuptime() went backwards (60724.4427887 -> 60724.686232)
> microuptime() went backwards (60724.4427887 -> 60724.768808)
> microuptime() went backwards (61685.4418845 -> 61685.102724)
> microuptime() went backwards (61924.3906516 -> 61924.246151)
> microuptime() went backwards (62344.3800035 -> 62344.415407)
>
>     Anyone know what's up?

This has been asked on just about every FreeBSD list since the printf was
added.  Use the archives, man! :)

This is when you have a device generating too much interrupt latency --
enough to stall the RTC.  Usually the offender is video cards, but in this
case it could be your IDE controller.

The usual fix is to try changing timecounters; sysctl
kern.timecounter.hardware tells you what you're currently using.  If
you're on CURRENT, it's probably using ACPI.  If you want to override it
back to TSC, put 'hint.acpi_timer.0.disabled="1"' in your
/boot/device.hints. Also try compiling with or without apm since this
influences the timecounter as well (although if you're on SMP you might be
stuck with the i8254).

phk can clarify. :)

Doug White                    |  FreeBSD: The Power to Serve
dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu     |  www.FreeBSD.org


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