Bug 98112 – install CD does not work with hyperthreading

• Status: RESOLVED FIXED
• Product: Gentoo Release Media

[Description wizard0 2005-07-06 06:09:39 UTC]

I am trying to install Gentoo on a Pentium 4 with hyperthreading. Unless I boot
using "gentoo nosmp noapic", the system gets lock and refuses any input from
keyboard, including the ctrl+alt+del sequence.

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1.Introduce install CD
2.Boot without options
3.

Actual Results:  
System boots, but I was unable to type anything.

[Comment 1 Chris Gianelloni (RETIRED) 2005-07-06 08:11:55 UTC]

Umm... you disabled hyperthreading when you used nosmp.

Also, what version is this?

[Comment 2 wizard0 2005-07-06 08:51:06 UTC]

Version is 2005.0. I did not disable hyperthreading in the BIOS, but the SMP
support in the kernel. If I do not add "nosmp noapic" the kernel tries to use
the pentium4 as two processors and I cannot type. If I add "nosmp noapic", the
pentium4 is used as a single processor and everything works right.

[Comment 3 Chris Gianelloni (RETIRED) 2005-07-06 09:52:55 UTC]

Right, but using "nosmp" instructs the kernel to not use hyperthreading.  You
can try adding acpi=ht to your kernel command line.  It might help.

Anyway, HyperThreading in general is not broken, as it works perfectly for me on
my Xeon machine.  I would bet the issue is with a very broken APIC on your
motherboard.  Which board do you have?

[Comment 4 Chris Gianelloni (RETIRED) 2005-08-15 11:55:47 UTC]

Feel free to REOPEN if this is still not working with 2005.1 and with the
previously mentioned options.

Thanks