Ingo Molnar wrote:
> 
> 
> okay - i just wanted to hear a definitive word from you that this fixes
> your problem, because this is what we'll have to do as a final solution.
> (barring any other solution.)
> 
Ingo, is that possible?

The current fix is "disable_irq_nosync() and enable_irq() cause
deadlocks with level triggered ioapic irqs, do not use them" - I'm sure
ne2k-pci isn't the only driver that uses these function.

I have found one combination that doesn't hang with the unpatched
8390.c, but network throughput is down to 1/2. I hope that's due to the
debugging changes.

I'll restart now from a fresh 2.4.0 tree:
Changes:

1) enable focus cpu.
2) apply the attached patch.

I'm not sure if it's a real fix or if it just hides the problem: my
sysrq patch has shown that clearing and setting the "level trigger" bit
in the io apic reanimates the IO APIC.

--
        Manfred