Why does a single CPU system running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.9 fail to boot?

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • With Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.9 (kernel-2.6.9-100) installed on a two socket system with only one CPU installed, the x86_64 smp and largesmp kernels spontaneously reboot after the kernel is started.

  • The following is seen in the kernel message log:

    Linux version 2.6.9-100.ELsmp (mockbuild@x86-004.build.bos.redhat.com) (gcc version 3.4.6 20060404 (Red Hat 3.4.6-11)) #1 SMP Tue Feb 1 12:04:42 EST 2011
<...>
CHECKING INTEL BOX FOR NUMA AWARENESS
Enabling SRAT NUMA discovery
Warning: acpi_table_parse(ACPI_SRAT) returned 0!

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.9

  • kernel-2.6.9-100.ELsmp/largesmp x86_64

  • Intel Nehalem EP based systems (ie, Fujitsu PRIMERGY RX200 S5, RX300 S5 and BX920 S1)

  • Only one CPU installed in a single socket (second CPU disabled in BIOS or physically not present)

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