From owner-freebsd-stable Mon Sep 18 17:37:20 2000 Delivered-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Received: from westhost15.westhost.net (westhost15.westhost.net [216.71.84.69]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 07E9537B422 for ; Mon, 18 Sep 2000 17:37:17 -0700 (PDT) Received: from beast (h0020af68b314.ne.mediaone.net [24.218.140.123]) by westhost15.westhost.net (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id TAA18112 for ; Mon, 18 Sep 2000 19:33:51 -0500 Reply-To: From: "Paul A. Howes" To: Subject: RE: Make world is dying... Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 20:36:16 -0400 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0040_01C021B0.17B1E8B0" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Sender: owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C021B0.17B1E8B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit All- I think I found the problem. I have used the memory before, it was known good. I swapped it out, and had the same problem. I tried a second, identical, CPU with a new heat sink, and still had the same problem. I received a thought-provoking email from one kind FreeBSD user that pointed me to the CPU I was using: The Cyrix P-166 itself, was the problem. The email is reproduced below: If it's occurring in the same place consistently, it's not a RAM failure; I used to have a Cx-6x86L-PR166 (ie. Pre-MMX Cx) and it died at roughly the same place in a makeworld consistently; at the time I figured that I'd cooked the CPU in it's lifetime (was prone to overheating), ditched it in favour of a Pentium-100 and it all worked well.... no changes made other than the CPU. That RAM is still doing sterling service in a dual PPro system now. If that's still the case regardless, then it's either a Cyrix CPU bug or a code generation bug in GCC that affects them specifically. This turned out to be exactly my case. I installed a spare Pentium-100 I have, and buildworld is working flawlessly, so far. Evidently, there's a CPU-specific bug in "cc1" that causes it to crash on this particular Cyrix processor. I do not know enough about the differences between the older-generation Cyrix processors and the Pentium processors of the same vintage to draw any conclusions, but I would be learn more about this phenomenon. -- Paul A. Howes pahowes@fair-ware.com ------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C021B0.17B1E8B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

All-

I = think I found=20 the problem.  I have used the memory before, it was known = good.  I=20 swapped it out, and had the same problem.  I tried a second, = identical, CPU=20 with a new heat sink, and still had the same problem.  I received a = thought-provoking email from one kind FreeBSD user that pointed me to = the CPU I=20 was using:  The Cyrix P-166 itself, was the problem.  The = email is=20 reproduced below:

If = it's=20 occurring in the same place consistently, it's not a RAM failure; = I used to have a Cx-6x86L-PR166 (ie. = Pre-MMX=20 Cx) and it died at roughly the = same=20 place in a makeworld consistently; at the time I figured that I'd cooked the CPU in it's lifetime = (was prone to=20 overheating), ditched it in = favour of a=20 Pentium-100 and it all worked well.... no changes made other than the CPU. That RAM is still = doing=20 sterling service in a dual PPro system=20 now.

If that's still the case regardless, = then it's=20 either a Cyrix CPU bug or a = code=20 generation bug in GCC that affects them=20 specifically.

This = turned out to=20 be exactly my case.  I installed a spare Pentium-100 I have, and = buildworld=20 is working flawlessly, so far.  Evidently, there's a CPU-specific = bug in=20 "cc1" that causes it to crash on this particular Cyrix processor.  = I do not=20 know enough about the differences between the older-generation Cyrix = processors=20 and the Pentium processors of the same vintage to draw any conclusions, = but I=20 would be learn more about this phenomenon.

--=20
Paul A.=20 Howes
pahowes@fair-ware.com

 

 

------=_NextPart_000_0040_01C021B0.17B1E8B0-- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-stable" in the body of the message