test13-pre[567]: acpi infinite loop on Sony PictureBook (Transmeta version)

[Adam J. Richter]

        At least when I build acpi as a module under 2.4.0-test13-pre5
(which requires tweaking the Makefiles and a config.in, but no 
modifications to .c or .h files), acpi gets into an infinite loop
when it is loaded as a module on a Transmeta-based Sony PictureBook.
The same kernel+module loads fine on a desktop machine that I tried,
and doing the same on 2.4.0-test13-pre3 works fine on both computers.
The problem is still in test13-pre7.

        From a day of reboots and printk's, I know that the infinite
loop includes at the following call hierarchy:

                acpi_resolve_to_value
                acpi_resolve_node_to_value
                acpi_aml_access_named_field
                acpi_aml_read_field
                acpi_aml_read_field_data

        I also know that, elsewhere in the inifinite loop,
acpi_release_parse_tree is called, as are acpi_cm_{acquire,release}_mutex.

        I know that the following calls are made shortly before
the infinite loop starts:

                acpi_aml_exec_store
                acpi_aml_store_object_to_node
                acpi_aml_access_named_field
                acpi_aml_write_field
                acpi_aml_write_field_data

        I will explore this more tomorrow, but I have been exploring
this problem on and off for three days, so I thought I ought to
mention it on linux-kernel.

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