Hello kernel-hackers, I found a problem with kernel 2.4, that makes the kernel crash at bootup, for example when using the UMC8672 VLB IDE controller driver. The problem is in kernel/resource.c. In line 229 some memory for handling new io-regions is kmalloc()ed. This crashes the computer before mem_init(), as it seems. But some drivers, for example the above mentioned one in drivers/ide/umc8672.c, do already claim i/o ports in their kernel parameter driven initialization procedures, so they crash the system. The point to discuss is whether one needs to fix the drivers, to not request i/o space while handling kernel parameters or to fix the kernel to allow this behaviour. As I do not read this mailing list, a currently don't have web access ready, I don't know whether this topic has already been discussed. Currently I helped myself by just commenting out the calls for check_region and request_region in the umc8672.c file, but I know it smells. Please send me a cc if you think you have a decision how to fix the crash. Michael Karcher - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/