quoted

We're trying to track down the source of a problem that occurs
whenever the atl1 network driver is activated on a 32-bit 2.6.21-rc4

and -rc5, -rc6, 2.6.20.x, 2.6.19.3, and probably others.

quoted

We can load the driver just fine, but whenever we activate the
network, we see APIC errors (a sample of them are shown here,
captured from a serial console):

[root@hawk ~]# echo 8 > /proc/sys/kernel/printk
[root@hawk ~]# [   93.942012] process `sysctl' is using deprecated
sysctl (sysc.
[   94.396609] atl1: eth0 link is up 1000 Mbps full duplex
[   94.498887] APIC error on CPU0: 00(08)
[   94.498534] APIC error on CPU1: 00(08)
[   94.550079] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   94.549725] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   94.600915] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   94.601276] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   94.652108] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   94.652470] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   94.703659] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   94.703305] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   94.754852] APIC error on CPU0: 08(40)
[   94.806045] APIC error on CPU0: 40(08)

        /* Here is what the APIC error bits mean:
           0: Send CS error
           1: Receive CS error
           2: Send accept error
           3: Receive accept error
           4: Reserved
           5: Send illegal vector
           6: Received illegal vector
           7: Illegal register address
        */

So the 40 means the APIC got an illegal vector.
Certainly this is consistent with the fact that
the errors start when a specific device is being
used.  I assume that device is using MSI?
Curious that it is different in 32-bit and 64-bit mode.

quoted

[   94.805692] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   94.857238] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   94.856884] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   94.908432] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   94.908078] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[snip, more of the same]
[   98.901156] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   98.952702] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   98.952349] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)
[   99.003895] APIC error on CPU0: 08(08)
[   99.003542] APIC error on CPU1: 08(08)

The machine hangs for about 5-10 seconds, then spontaneously reboots
without further console output.

I can prompt an oops by pinging my router while the apic errors are
scrolling by.

quoted

This is an Asus M2V (Via K8T890) motherboard.

The problem does not occur on a 32-bit kernel if we boot with
pci=nomsi, and it doesn't occur at all on a 64-bit kernel on the same
motherboard.

pci=nomsi, works, okay...

quoted

We also do not see this problem on Intel-based motherboards, with
either 32- or 64-bit kernels.

A full raft of documentation -- including acpidump and
linux-firmware-kit output, console capture, kernel config, lspci -vvxxx
(with apic=debug boot option), dmesg, and /proc/interrupts -- is
available at http://www.hogchain.net/m2v/apic-problem/

[06Dh 109  2]      Boot Architecture Flags : 0003

for what it is worth, the bit in ACPI that is used to
disable MSI support is not set -- so as  far as the BIOS
is concerned, this system should support MSI.

Is it an add-in card, or lan-on-motherboard?

-Len