# HP Envy 17 - Kernel Configuration

## lixo1

Dear all,

I just installed for the first time Gentoo on my pc. I love it, my pc boot's in 6sec!!

I'm observing that the dmesg output at 60s shows the following:

As a newbie I would like to know if it's important or not, what should I do? My bios is the last version A.13.

WARNING: at arch/x86/kernel/check.c:134 check_for_bios_corruption+0xc0/0xd6()

Hardware name: HP ENVY 17 Notebook PC

Memory corruption detected in low memory

Modules linked in:

Pid: 22, comm: events/3 Not tainted 2.6.34-gentoo-r6 #3

Call Trace:

 [<ffffffff8103bd4a>] warn_slowpath_common+0x77/0x8f

 [<ffffffff8103bdaf>] warn_slowpath_fmt+0x3c/0x3e

 [<ffffffff8102027b>] check_for_bios_corruption+0xc0/0xd6

 [<ffffffff8102029a>] check_corruption+0x9/0x2b

 [<ffffffff810506cd>] worker_thread+0x19d/0x224

 [<ffffffff81020291>] ? check_corruption+0x0/0x2b

 [<ffffffff8105435f>] ? autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x34

 [<ffffffff81050530>] ? worker_thread+0x0/0x224

 [<ffffffff81053f23>] kthread+0x7a/0x82

 [<ffffffff81003754>] kernel_thread_helper+0x4/0x10

 [<ffffffff81053ea9>] ? kthread+0x0/0x82

 [<ffffffff81003750>] ? kernel_thread_helper+0x0/0x10

Thank you for any kind of help.Last edited by lixo1 on Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:30 pm; edited 2 times in total

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## krinn

It means certainly (not sure) that you have a buggy bios and you then need that option in your kernel

grep X86_RESERVE_LOW_64K /usr/src/linux/.config

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## lixo1

Thank you for your reply.

The output of your command is:

CONFIG_X86_RESERVE_LOW_64K=y

What should I do?

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## lixo1

Should I remove the bios low memory check on my kernel?

Thank you for any kind of help.

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## krinn

They say you can mmap to disable that.... blah, way complicate.

What i would do if i were you

- control your memory, the low memory bios check is done against a memory corruption at low memory, and they can't (for me) be sure it's because of bios, they just assume it's bios, a bad memory itself can trigger that too.

- yeah disable it, as you can't do anything against it anyway, you will just live with that, keeping in mind upgrading your bios if it's possible won't be a bad idea

you can disable the X86_RESERVE_LOW_64K to see if per chance the option trigger the event.

then last, if nothing can really be done, disable X86_CHECK_BIOS_CORRUPTION to stop the kernel message: lol, could you shut up and die in silent ?

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## lixo1

Hi, thanks,

I just tried with ubuntu 10.04 2.6.32-25-generic I do not see this memory corruption warning! 

Checking the menu configuration we have CONFIG_X86_RESERVE_LOW_64K=y and CONFIG_X86_CHECK_BIOS_CORRUPTION=y.

But it also says:

[    2.003368] Fail in evaluating the _REG object of EC device. Broken bios is suspected.

Do you think that this problem could be correlated with my kernel "bad" configuration?

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## krinn

It could be yes, but your kernel report an HP bios, and compaq/hp are well know to use tricky things on their hardware (mostly not to help user, but to bug him, like to get sure he will be force to use only "hp" hardware, or no hope to repair to force bying new hardware on a failure... any commercial tricks to bug the user, kinda like apple policy, commercialy speaking, it's really good, user speaking, it's a pain to be treat like a cow and milk like that)

ohoh, personal little rant here  :Smile: 

getting back on kernel, there's options that you can enable/disable that could put havock on kernel, and it might mistake something (like the example i said earlier, i don't think the kernel could really see a bios that corrupt low memory, but kernel can see the low memory was corrupted and as it seems common for bios to do that, they assume the bios has done that)

you should also check because you "might" have an hp laptop for HP and laptop specific kernel options (and you'll see, there's plenty lying around).

you may google for .config to find one for your laptop specific model, generally some users having difficulty setting a nice kernel put their .config for others to not face the same trouble.

the ubuntu experience doesn't proof you don't have memory corruption, they might have just disable the check too: not seen...not taken

you should put down your computer model here to have a chance another one user with it coming to drive you better than me to craft a kernel (maybe change title to HP-laptop-XKCMSDKDS kernel troubles or something more explicit)

you might also drop a word to pappy_mcfae, he might not have your computer, but as many users call him for help with kernel, he might saw already someone with your model, you can get him there : https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-829476.html

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## lixo1

Thanks for your reply.

Here you have all the details about my configurations.

the lspci -n

```

00:00.0 0600: 8086:d132 (rev 11)

00:03.0 0604: 8086:d138 (rev 11)

00:08.0 0880: 8086:d155 (rev 11)

00:08.1 0880: 8086:d156 (rev 11)

00:08.2 0880: 8086:d157 (rev 11)

00:08.3 0880: 8086:d158 (rev 11)

00:10.0 0880: 8086:d150 (rev 11)

00:10.1 0880: 8086:d151 (rev 11)

00:16.0 0780: 8086:3b64 (rev 06)

00:1a.0 0c03: 8086:3b3c (rev 05)

00:1b.0 0403: 8086:3b56 (rev 05)

00:1c.0 0604: 8086:3b42 (rev 05)

00:1c.1 0604: 8086:3b44 (rev 05)

00:1c.2 0604: 8086:3b46 (rev 05)

00:1d.0 0c03: 8086:3b34 (rev 05)

00:1e.0 0604: 8086:2448 (rev a5)

00:1f.0 0601: 8086:3b09 (rev 05)

00:1f.2 0106: 8086:3b29 (rev 05)

00:1f.3 0c05: 8086:3b30 (rev 05)

01:00.0 0300: 1002:68a1

01:00.1 0403: 1002:aa58

02:00.0 0280: 14e4:4353 (rev 01)                                       

03:00.0 0200: 10ec:8168 (rev 03)

04:00.0 0c03: 1033:0194 (rev 03)

7f:00.0 0600: 8086:2c52 (rev 04)

7f:00.1 0600: 8086:2c81 (rev 04)

7f:02.0 0600: 8086:2c90 (rev 04)

7f:02.1 0600: 8086:2c91 (rev 04)

7f:03.0 0600: 8086:2c98 (rev 04)

7f:03.1 0600: 8086:2c99 (rev 04)

7f:03.4 0600: 8086:2c9c (rev 04)

7f:04.0 0600: 8086:2ca0 (rev 04)

7f:04.1 0600: 8086:2ca1 (rev 04)

7f:04.2 0600: 8086:2ca2 (rev 04)

7f:04.3 0600: 8086:2ca3 (rev 04)

7f:05.0 0600: 8086:2ca8 (rev 04)

7f:05.1 0600: 8086:2ca9 (rev 04)

7f:05.2 0600: 8086:2caa (rev 04)

7f:05.3 0600: 8086:2cab (rev 04)

```

the /proc/cpuinfo is an Intel i7 Q720 cpu family 6 model 30

the .config http://pastebin.com/ibZhhpmW

the fstab

```

/dev/sdb1               /boot           ext2            noauto,noatime  1 2

/dev/sdb3               /               ext3            noatime         0 1

/dev/sdb2               none            swap            sw              0 0

/dev/cdrom              /mnt/cdrom      auto            noauto,user     0 0

/dev/sdc1               /mnt/disk       auto            noauto,user     0 0

#/dev/sda2              /mnt/hd         auto            noauto,noatime  0 0

#/dev/fd0               /mnt/floppy     auto            noauto          0 0

# glibc 2.2 and above expects tmpfs to be mounted at /dev/shm for 

# POSIX shared memory (shm_open, shm_unlink).

# (tmpfs is a dynamically expandable/shrinkable ramdisk, and will

#  use almost no memory if not populated with files)

proc                    /proc           proc            default                 0 0

shm                     /dev/shm        tmpfs           nodev,nosuid,noexec     0 0

```

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## pappy_mcfae

I'm here. I'll be taking a looksee.

Cheers,

Pappy

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## pappy_mcfae

Your kernel was definitely a bit oin the overloaded side. No biggie. I've seen worse. I started you with a fresh seed and my latest settings as well as your stuff. The only downside on this machine is that the wireless adapter isn't natively supported under Linux as of yet. OpenSUSE has a module and firmware, and that support is scheduled for inclusion with the .37 kernel family. Everything else looks like it should work without issue.

Click here for your new .config. Compile as is.

For the best results, please do the following:

1) Move your .config file out of your kernel source directory (/usr/src/linux-2.6.34-gentoo-r6).

2) Issue the command make mrproper. This is a destructive step. It returns the source to pristine condition. Unmoved .config files will be deleted!

3) Copy my .config into your source directory.

4) Issue the command make && make modules_install.

5) Install the kernel as you normally would, and reboot.

6) Once it boots, please post /var/log/dmesg so I can see how things loaded.

Cheers,

Pappy

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## lixo1

Thanks for your seed. The pc boots correctly and loads all modules with [ok].

Here you have the dmesg output: http://pastebin.com/v13aS8pX

The memory corruption disappears (do you removed X86_CHECK_BIOS_CORRUPTION?), but the coretemp says something.

I would like to ask you about the VESA, why do you activated it instead of ATI Radeon? I'm having troubles with the backlight with or without drivers and VESA, just after the cpu detection the backlight goes to 0, I don't know why. Maybe my machine uses ACPI 4.0 (see https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-847118.html)

Now, for the future of my gentoo installation, do you have the "discussion page" about my wifi drive in OpenSuse?

So let me know the next step do finalize your seed!

Absolutely thank you very much for all your help!

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## pappy_mcfae

 *lixo1 wrote:*   

> Thanks for your seed. The pc boots correctly and loads all modules with [ok].
> 
> Here you have the dmesg output: http://pastebin.com/v13aS8pX
> 
> The memory corruption disappears (do you removed X86_CHECK_BIOS_CORRUPTION?), but the coretemp says something.

 

As far as I can see, you're set and ready to run. YOu didn't suffer any sort of kernel error, so you should be fairly good to go.

 *Quote:*   

> I would like to ask you about the VESA, why do you activated it instead of ATI Radeon? I'm having troubles with the backlight with or without drivers and VESA, just after the cpu detection the backlight goes to 0, I don't know why. Maybe my machine uses ACPI 4.0 (see https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-847118.html)

 

KMS is not right on the version of kernel you have. It didn't get right until the .35 kernel family, and even at that, that is for Intel GPU's. If the Intel stuuf won't work, you can bet the ATI won't. You can turn on KMS if you wish, but I recommend against it. 

As for your backlight issue, you might want to see if/how others have cured this issue. Start here: http://www.linux-laptop.net/

 *Quote:*   

> Now, for the future of my gentoo installation, do you have the "discussion page" about my wifi drive in OpenSuse?

 

http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-help-here/hardware/447485-bcm43224-bcm43225-bcm4313-installation-guide.html

 *Quote:*   

> So let me know the next step do finalize your seed!
> 
> Absolutely thank you very much for all your help!

 

Once it boots, it's more or less finalized. The last thing I do in situations like this is tell the user to keep a copy of  the working .config, and to add the settings they will need for USB devices, or such. If you're going to start using virutalization and such, you will have to look that up independent of my help. I know nothing about it.

Your kernel should be able to run anything you can throw at it at this point.

Cheers,

Pappy

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## lixo1

Absolutely a big big thanks!!!

Thank you for your support and the useful information that you provide in these posts.

It was a really presure met you!

Cheers,

Louis

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## pappy_mcfae

Happy Gentooing!

Cheers,

Pappy.

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## DigitalDaz21

Any chance of pasting the .config file again please. I'm just going to try and get Gentoo running on my Envy 17 and that would be a great help.

TIA

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## pappy_mcfae

Click here for that .config

Cheers,

Pappy

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## lixo1

Here you have my full .config file, every should work fine, webcam, usb, etc...

Gentoo Kernel 2.6.34-r12: http://pastebin.com/XJLh8HHR

I'm using also:

1) fglrx driver

2) alsa-driver 2.0.23

3) broadcom driver from kernel 2.6.36 git.

It works like a charm.

Cheers.

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## pappy_mcfae

Even better.

Cheers,

Pappy

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