[NTLUG:Discuss] AMD K6 200 vs Pentium MMX 200

[Steve Baker]

Brian wrote:
> 
> Steve Baker wrote:
> > There is a hardware bug in at least some AMD K6-200's.  This bug
> > only seems to show up under Linux - and had only been seen to affect
> > the GNU C/C++ compilers - and only then if you have more than 32Mb RAM.
> ...
> > So, I found owning an AMD to be a *SERIOUS* pain.  If you plan to
> > compile programs - and need >32Mb - get the Intel part.
> 
> There's a lot of myths and disinformation surrounding this issue.

That's certainly true - I've researched it pretty carefully though.

>  I'd suggest visiting http://www.bitwizard.nl/sig11 for a definitive
> discussion of hardware-related problems and kernel compilation.
>
> FWIW, I've been compiling both 2.0.x and 2.2.x kernels with three AMD
> K6-233's with absolutely no problems--across the last three or four
> versions of GCC/egcs, including the latest.

It's certainly odd - because AMD claim the problem was solved in the
200's and later.  However, on my 266 machine, the problem is VERY real
and easy to reproduce - and fits exactly with the description on the
sig11 web page.

>  I would strongly disagree
> with the need to "get the Intel part" to compile the kernel.

Well, if you had a bad one like mine, and if you did significant
amounts of software development, you certainly wouldn't say that.
...and it's NOT just kernel recompilation - it's just that for the
majority of users, the only time you recompile hundreds of files
is when rebuilding the kernel - so statistically, that's when people
see it most.

-- 
Steve Baker                  http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1
sjbaker1 at airmail.net (home)  http://www.woodsoup.org/~sbaker
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