On 06/17/2012 02:55 PM, ali hagigat wrote:
> I think SMI needs some initialization from BIOS and then Linux kernel.
> The Linux kernel has some CONFIG_ variables to disable/enable SMI.
Last time I checked, the linux kernel did not have such CONFIG_
variables, which is why xenomai adds them.
> In theory a motherboard can be built to generate SMI without the
> software help. But I think OEMs do not build such a board. So I think
> an x86 PC hard real time system is possible for today's PCs.
>
> Please correct me if I am wrong.
An SMI is an interrupt, so, there must be software to handle the SMI,
so, no, a motherboard can not be built to generate SMI without software
help.
Intel chipsets provide a register to disable SMIs, but also provide a
register to lock usage of the first register. So yes, there are some PC
today that you can not use for real-time. Unless, of course, you are
ready to use your own BIOS instead of the one provided by the hardware
vendor, or your hardware vendor is willing to change the BIOS.
--
Gilles.
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