do I need APIC on old laptop?

[Kjell Eriksson]

Martin Maney wrote:

>On Sat, Oct 09, 2004 at 10:40:34PM +0200, Kjell Eriksson wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi, only way to install Ubuntu (sounder cd#9) on my Dell Inspiron 8000 
>>is by using "noapic nolapic" as bootparameters.
>>Otherwise it seems working ok.
>>    
>>
>
>Ditto, although post-install at least I seem only to need nolapic. 
>Does that work for you?  If not, we might help narrow down the source
>of this by comparing these laptops and their setup.  For example, mine
>had no problem installing and running without these until I upgraded
>the BIOS this morning.  A10 good, A23 bad, which isn't very specific.
>
>  
>
>>in dmesg there is some mention of problem with pciehp and shpchp, but 
>>googling tell me it's nothing to care about.
>>    
>>
>
>Right.  Hotplug stuff you haven't got.  It's a cosmetic bug.
>
>  
>
>>Do I really need APIC on my old laptop P3-cpu or is it more important 
>>for smp and P4 ?
>>    
>>
>
>Right, it's unnecessary for single CPU, at least in this chipset.
>
>  
>
>>Seems Dell bioses are broken regarding APIC
>>    
>>
>
>All BIOSes are broken, one way or another.  :-/
>
>  
>
>>If I try to install debian netinstall daily build 20/9 there is no 
>>problem, but newer build same problem as Ubuntu, install freeze!
>>    
>>
>
>Sure.  Ubuntu is the only OS on the schizophrenic Inspiron that croaked
>with A23.  Windows ME wanted to [re]install the LCD, while both Woody
>and Libranet, both with 2.4 kernels, just continued to work.
>
>  
>
All bios newer than A17 on inspiron 8000 have problems with Linux 
according to forums on dell-support.
I have A23 and my problem is with kernel 2.6.8.1.
SuSE 9.1 (kernel 2.6.5.7) installs and works beatifully but opted for KDE
Mepis (kernel 2.6.7) no problems
Knoppix 3.6 (kernel 2.6.7) no problems
Strange thing is that  Debian net-install older daily build installs but 
not newer builds with same kernel 2.6.8.1
something changed in kernel? That's why I wonder if Ubuntu and Debian 
share same kernel or if Ubuntu builds own?
And , sure "nolapic" is working.