Changes from 1.3.47 to 1.3.48
These changes are archived on ftp.crynwr.com:pub/kchanges
and http://www.crynwr.com/kchanges.
I cannot answer questions about Linux -- I merely summarize the kernel
patches after reading them. I try to make them useful to everyone,
but kernel hackers should take them with a grain of salt and read the
patches themselves. The patch file is patch-1.3.48.gz
These are from mec@treflan.shout.net (Michael Chastain)
[he probably can't answer questions about Linux either :) -russ]
- arch/alpha/kernel/bios32.c: enable VGA BIOS ROM
- arch/i386/boot/compressed/*: rearrange gzip code (1904 lines) so that the cramdisk code may access it as well.
- arch/mips/*: massive changes (10154 lines) [Ralf Baechle].
- drivers/block/cmd640.c: enable readahead for versions above 'A'.
- drivers/block/ide-tape.c: fixed random problems which occurred when the
tape shared an interface with another device (poll_for_dsc was a
complete mess); removed some old (non-active) code which had to do
with supporting buffer cache originated requests; the block device
interface can now be opened, so that general ide driver features
like the unmask interrupts flag can be selected with an ioctl (this
is the only use of the block device interface); new fast pipelined
operation mode (currently only on writes) [Gadi Oxman].
- drivers/block/ide.c: miscellaneous touch-ups.
- drivers/char/ChangeLog: serial.c (check_modem_status, rs_ioctl): support
the new ioctl()'s TIOCGICOUNT, TIOCMIWAIT. These allow an application
program to wait on a modem serial register status bit change, and to find
out how many changes have taken place for the MSR bits. [Angelo Haritsis].
(rs_write): Eliminate a race condition which is introduced if it is
necessary to wait for the semaphore. [Ted Ts'o].
- drivers/char/busmouse.c: track I/O ports with request_region [Philip Blundell].
- drivers/scsi/aha152x.c: some minor updates; support for 2 controllers;
started synchronous data transfers (not working yet) [Juergen E. Fischer].
- fs/buffer.c: handle protected buffers in 'refill_freelist'. This
has been done because the new ramdisk lives in the buffer cache.
Formerly, data had to be copied from the actual ramdisk to the buffer
cache, resulting in twice as much memory being used. Protected buffers
are a new concept. Tey are ramdisk data. These have to be treated
specially because the buffers are the only copy of the data: they're
not backed by a physical device.
- fs/hpfs/hpfs_fs.c: 'nocheck' option.
- fs/inode.c: quota-related fixes.
- fs/msdos/inode.c: turn on dotsOK [Albert Cahalan].
- fs/namei.c: quota-related fixes.
- fs/open.c: quota-related fixes.
- include/asm-alpha/pgtable.h: change page invalidation.
- include/asm-i386/bugs.h: give error if CONFIG_{M486,M586} running on 386.
- include/asm-i386/pgtable.h: change page invalidation.
- include/asm-mips/*: massive changes (7494 lines) [Ralf Baechle].
- mm/memory.c: fast special-case copy-on-write of a zero page.