Description of Problem: CONFIG_PNPBIOS has been disabled from kernel configuration since kernel version > 2.4.6-2. This feature is valuable for thinkpad users for example. When combined with the setpnp tool from the pcmcia package, it allows us to change some hardware resources, without the dos-only PS2.EXE tool provided by IBM. So my wish is to re-enable this feature, and to add setpnp in the kernel-pcmcia package too. (bug #50486). Fabrice
The problem with this feature is that a LOT of machines have a defective bios that made the 2.4.6 kernels which had PNPBIOS oops. a LOT. Until there is a reliable way to catch such oopses in the kernel and THEN disable PNPBIOS at runtime, we have no choice other than to disable it. (Windows uses this method; but that has the sideeffect of bios writers not noticing their bios is buggy, or at least not having it as critical bug, hence the large number of broken bioses). Alan is working on getting the "catch" part working, but so far it doesn't; as soon as it does I'll enable the option. I'm closing this as "deferred" as I do agree it should be enabled, but only once it has become actually usable.