rotates around the fact that GPL only uses the lower 32 bits of the 64 bit
value retrieved from the RDTSC instruction.
For those not familiar with the RDTSC instruction it's a 64 bit counter that
increases with every clock cycle. A 1 ghz processor would increase the
value 1,000,000,000 times per second. Likewise a 500 mhz processor would
increase the value 500,000,000 times per second.
A patch COULD be applied to right shift the 64 bit value 1 digit then only
use the lower 32 bits which should allow processor speeds up to 3 ghz. By
shifting right 3 digits a processor speed of approximately 12 ghz should
work.
This still requires access to the source code to "squeeze" the shifting into
the proper RDTSC references.
> >> No, why would I waste money on a possibly flawed Intel chip?
> > IT turns out it's a *speed* bug, *not* a P4 bug. *All* chips that fast
> > will have problems.
> In that case it does interest me. I have yet to hear or read of anyone
> actually experiencing this problem w/ an AMD chip, do you have a link or
> any other reference to the statement of somebody with firsthand knowledge?
> It's not that I don't believe you, but I'd like to read what this person
> wrote himself. Hearsay is inadmissible in r.a.s. :-) (*Poof* where did
> half the posts go?)
> Cheers,
> Jens