[App_rpt-users] Watchdog timer in Pickle linux (remove omap_wdt?)

[Mike Hugo]

Hi,

A bit of investigation with Dr. Google found that the beagleboard XM boards
have a known issue with the omap_wdt driver. Instead of rebooting the board
it holds it in reset.  The easy solution is to not use the omap_wdt
watchdog timer driver but rather the TLW4030 watchdog timer driver.
Looking at the latest pickle Linux kernel I see there are currently 4
watchdog timer drivers built into the kernel including the working TLW4030.
Since it loads after the omap_wdt timer it doesn't get used.  The TLW4030
reportedly works on all version of the beagleboard.

lib/modules/2.6.33-500-omap/kernel/drivers/watchdog/softdog.ko
lib/modules/2.6.33-500-omap/kernel/drivers/watchdog/twl4030_wdt.ko
lib/modules/2.6.33-500-omap/kernel/drivers/watchdog/omap_wdt.ko
lib/modules/2.6.33-500-omap/kernel/drivers/watchdog/pcwd_usb.ko

Therefore would it be possible to get pickle rebuilt without the omap_wdt
built in?  That should then cause the twl4030 driver to be used whenever
the /dev/watchdog file is written to and hopefully solve the problem.
Anyone wanting to use the timer would still need to install the watchdog
user space program as I don't think it makes sense to include that in
pickle.

A quick way to test the watchdog timer is to just cat /dev/watchdog and
wait a minute. Current XM boards with the omap_wdt timer will crash after a
minute.  Newer beagleboards will restart. If my theory is correct after
removing the omap_wdt driver all boards will restart


Thanks
Mike


Here is reference where someone did the research on the watchdog timer:
http://gumstix.8.x6.nabble.com/Watchdog-timer-not-working-in-gumstix-overo-td812498.html
Look near the bottom with the solution.
I also saw references on the TI site and perhaps the omap_wdt driver has
been updated as well since these posts are old.
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