#606017 nvram-wakeup: can't access /dev/mem

Package:
nvram-wakeup
Source:
nvram-wakeup
Description:
Read/write the WakeUp time from/to the BIOS
Submitter:
Salvo Tomaselli
Date:
2010-12-28 22:51:07 UTC
Severity:
important
#606017#5
Date:
2010-12-05 15:39:53 UTC
From:
To:
Kernel complains when /dev/mem is accessed:

Program nvram-wakeup tried to access /dev/mem between 101000->101009.

I am trying to recompile the kernel and change the CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM,
but with the stock kernel the package is not working at all.
#606017#10
Date:
2010-12-12 23:02:08 UTC
From:
To:
tags 606017 + moreinfo
thanks


There isn't enough information provided.

The package nvram-wakeup contains a number of binaries.  What command
was run?  What was the output?  What was the expected output?

What, specifically, does "kernel complains" mean and why is this a
problem?
#606017#17
Date:
2010-12-16 17:24:58 UTC
From:
To:
Thanks.  Was that run as root?

On my system, the command nvram-wakeup gives "Permission denied" when
run as non-root, but does provide output when run as root.

I'm not part of the nvram-wakeup maintenance team, so I won't make the
call, but I do wonder whether this is truly a grave problem in the
sense that it renders the package unusable for everyone or whether it
is a case of not supporting all possible motherboards (which is
a bug, but not a grave one).

Cheers,
-Steve
#606017#22
Date:
2010-12-16 17:36:31 UTC
From:
To:
Yes, of course. You might notice that the error message is not "Permission
denied"
To get the message that the motherboard is not supported i had to recompile my
kernel in order to allow access to /dev/mem, which was restricted by default
by the kernel itself.

Bye
#606017#27
Date:
2010-12-16 18:28:11 UTC
From:
To:
Interesting.  My motherboard is not supported, yet I got that message
without recompiling the kernel.

steve@riemann{~}sudo nvram-wakeup
nvram-wakeup: Your mainboard is currently not supported.
nvram-wakeup: Please try determining the addresses and sending the following
nvram-wakeup: information back to the maintainers:
nvram-wakeup:  - The addresses you found out (read README.mb)
nvram-wakeup:  - Mainboard vendor:   "ASUSTeK Computer INC."
nvram-wakeup:  - Mainboard type:     "P5Q-E"
nvram-wakeup:  - Mainboard revision: "Rev 1.xx"
nvram-wakeup:  - BIOS vendor:        "American Megatrends Inc."
nvram-wakeup:  - BIOS version:       "0605"
nvram-wakeup:  - BIOS release:       "06/03/2008"

steve@riemann{~}uname -a
Linux riemann 2.6.32-5-amd64 #1 SMP Thu Nov 25 18:02:11 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux

It is the stock linux-image-2.6.32-5-amd64 package.

Cheers,
-Steve
#606017#32
Date:
2010-12-28 22:47:27 UTC
From:
To:
severity 606017 important
tags 606017 unreproducible moreinfo
stop

I can confirm to get a similar message.

downgrading the severity of this bug report, as
A) submitters linux-2.6 is self compiled
B) nowadays one can and should use /sys/class/rtc/rtc0/wakealarm
C) the rare users of this antique package may still have fun to do so for
   Squeeze.