Description of problem: On boot, after selecting the kernel from grub and before any services are started, I get this message: dmi_string: out of memory dmi_save_oem_strings_devices: out of memory There are no symptoms other than the warning messages. Here's some context from dmesg: Linux version 2.6.21-1.3228.fc7 (kojibuilder.redhat.com) (gcc version 4.1.2 20070502 (Red Hat 4.1.2-12)) #1 SMP Tue Jun 12 14:56:37 EDT 2007 Command line: ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol03 quiet BIOS-provided physical RAM map: BIOS-e820: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009f000 (usable) BIOS-e820: 000000000009f000 - 00000000000a0000 (reserved) BIOS-e820: 00000000000f0000 - 0000000000100000 (reserved) BIOS-e820: 0000000000100000 - 0000000077ef0000 (usable) BIOS-e820: 0000000077ef0000 - 0000000077ef3000 (ACPI NVS) BIOS-e820: 0000000077ef3000 - 0000000077f00000 (ACPI data) BIOS-e820: 0000000078000000 - 0000000080000000 (reserved) BIOS-e820: 00000000f0000000 - 00000000f4000000 (reserved) BIOS-e820: 00000000fec00000 - 0000000100000000 (reserved) Entering add_active_range(0, 0, 159) 0 entries of 3200 used Entering add_active_range(0, 256, 491248) 1 entries of 3200 used end_pfn_map = 1048576 DMI present. dmi_string: out of memory. dmi_save_oem_strings_devices: out of memory. ACPI: RSDP 000F7760, 0024 (r2 HPQOEM) ACPI: XSDT 77EF30C0, 0054 (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 42302E31 AWRD 0) ACPI: FACP 77EFA3C0, 00F4 (r3 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 42302E31 AWRD 0) ACPI: DSDT 77EF3280, 70EB (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 1000 MSFT 3000000) ACPI: FACS 77EF0000, 0040 ACPI: SLIC 77EFA5C0, 0176 (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 42302E31 AWRD 0) ACPI: SSDT 77EFA780, 0248 (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 1 LTP 1) ACPI: HPET 77EFAA40, 0038 (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 42302E31 AWRD 98) ACPI: MCFG 77EFAAC0, 003C (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 42302E31 AWRD 0) ACPI: APIC 77EFA500, 007C (r1 HPQOEM SLIC-CPC 42302E31 AWRD 0) The hardware is an HP a1750e (AMD 64 X2). Specs here: http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/hp-pavilion-a1750e-athlon/4507-3118_7-32327211.html?tag=nav Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): $ uname -a Linux goldin-pc.claritech.local 2.6.21-1.3228.fc7 #1 SMP Tue Jun 12 14:56:37 EDT 2007 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Hello, I'm reviewing this bug as part of the kernel bug triage project, an attempt to isolate current bugs in the fedora kernel. http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/KernelBugTriage I am CC'ing myself to this bug and will try and assist you in resolving it if I can. There hasn't been much activity on this bug for a while. Could you tell me if you are still having problems with the latest kernel? If the problem no longer exists then please close this bug or I'll do so in a few days if there is no additional information lodged. Cheers Chris
Yes, this bug is still present in kernel-2.6.22.5-76.fc7.
Hello Jack, This is the code generating the error in question: http://snecker.fedorapeople.org/dmi_scan.c however there is a patch fedora carries which modifies this a little. Can you install dmidecode and attach its output? Cheers Chris
*** Bug 245325 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Created attachment 198721 [details] dmidecode output dmidecode output attached per request
Hi Jack, Looked into this a bit more. It seems the code is handling the error which would otherwise have prevented the system from booting. This is output to indicate a badly programmed BIOS. I wouldn't be concerned - oem strings for example are pieces of information set into the BIOS concerning the system manufacturer, part numbers, contact information. Yours is rather lengthy: Handle 0x001C, DMI type 11, 5 bytes. OEM Strings String 1: bid=71NAv3PcA5;PROD_MSWORKS;SFCHK;C_MOJ;IS.N60d;51Audio;ACPwrFai String 2: l=Off;Chan=CTO;CPUFan=On;DVDr;DVDRW;LegacyFloppy=No;TVout=NTSC;P String 3: CBRAND=Pavilion;OS=MSV;KBDRV;LScribe;DVDP_STD;Vos.B;MDVD_B;RC_B; String 4: FPA=HML;OEMAuditBootLink=\\10.10.5.8\OEMAuditBootLink\CTO.cmd;.m String 5: M;##HPCPC=00000000<900000060200000004200002535141300400000100010 String 6: 00;5;:0665<;85>18>1<2=1:<55>?4;;=?=19:<8494;>:8011<=31953=?76?>3 String 7: 78139;594701:=;34:;55;9128<7937==0<722<:<1:2489>:088=6:?1;2>8=8> String 8: 12691>>286:9?;4454>3<3>89909>=738375;02951<;>=??2?70>75;04<815:3 String 9: 3<20846?312127;?24876>7488457<0;0?39>9;?407;8;8;09>=;==>231>;?45 String 10: 6:100000006;00000000002000840515?454=435<49434=23405347594>444?4 String 11: 7535020000000000000000000000000000000000000000?24?41954<8?4243:4 String 12: 63542:9034;??09<31;8951=>:><6>3291=35:7;:7?<0;=973478<4:062629<> String 13: 53103<<=4651<3499:7?769::98;357697=:3483>07=6;>1<1?<>7<817?5586> String 14: 79?5:5?19<87:>=6507148017=835>552096;714776===1=59:5:9;7?16>;910 String 15: ;6<?>4?;=21?;7975:6660><>729>:9<98<5<=991>7?7> String 16: String 17: String 18: String 19: String 20: String 21: String 22: String 23: String 24: String 25: String 26: String 27: String 28: String 29: String 30: String 31: String 32: and if the 5 bytes indicates the maximum memory allotted then it certainly exceeds it. My thinkpad has the following for example: Handle 0x0029, DMI type 11, 5 bytes. OEM Strings String 1: IBM ThinkPad Embedded Controller -[1RHT71WW-3.04 ]- and thats it. Essentially, I think you can close as WONTFIX or NOTABUG (as this is BIOS related, not kernel) but I'll leave it up to you. I cannot see a BIOS update available for your system. Cheers Chris
Chris, thanks for your analysis. I feel like this is a kernel bug in the sense that there's no reason for me, the user, to see a warning from the kernel that my BIOS happens to have some OEM string that's too long. It's not like I can do anything about it! The kernel should remain silent; all it does is alarm innocent users.
Jack, Apologies for the delay and fair point. Are you still seeing this with the latest kernels - if so I'll get some feedback from one of the kernel maintainers. Cheers Chris
Fix for this is in -mm and should be merged in 2.6.25.