RHBA-2008:0690 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated kernel-utils package that fixes various bugs and adds
enhancements is now available.

Description

The kernel-utils package provides kernel-related support utilities, such as
CPU frequency scaling support, and processor microcode updates.

This updated package fixes the following bugs:

• the "cpuspeed" daemon process was not aware of multi-core processors

sharing the same clock. One or more cores could end up without all
available frequency steppings, due to another core altering the frequency
during stepping detection.

• the irqbalance init script returned incorrect error codes, which may have

caused the wrong status to be returned. In this updated package, the init
script has been updated to more closely conform to distribution-wide
guidelines.

• in certain situations, using the "smartctl" command to enable S.M.A.R.T.

automatic offline data collection, failed with a "HSM violation" error in
"/var/log/messages", and the following errors on the console:

Error SMART Enable Automatic Offline failed: Input/output error
Smartctl: SMART Enable Automatic Offline Failed.

• the new microcode requires changes that are not in earlier kernels. When

running an older kernel and using a newer kernel-utils package, starting
the "microcode_ctl" service may have caused a "microcode: not enough data"
error. In this updated package, two microcode images are shipped: one for
older kernels, and the other for newer kernels, allowing users running
older kernels, or both new and old kernels, to obtain microcode updates.

As well, this updated package adds the following enhancements:

• processor frequency scaling support (powersave), using modular (rather

than built-in) powernow-k8 drivers, for AMD 64-bit-capable processors that
support AMD PowerNow!™, has been enabled.

• support for S.M.A.R.T. monitoring for 3ware RAID controllers, that have

more than 16 ports, has been added.

• to support the latest processors, the Intel microcode has been updated to

version 20080401.

Users of kernel-utils are advised to upgrade to this updated package, which
resolves these issues and adds these enhancements.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released
errata relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use
the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/FAQ_58_10188

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 4 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 4 s390
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 4 ppc

Fixes

• BZ - 183403 - powersave governor should be a builtin for powernow-k8
• BZ - 242478 - Wrong init script
• BZ - 431570 - [RHEL 4.7] update microcode to 20080401 version

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)