Linux Patch Pending To Fix Support For The Transmeta Crusoe CPU

While the Linux kernel has seen increased activity around dropping old/unused hardware drivers and other support, for old hardware that is still proven to be used on upstream Linux kernel releases does stick around and even will see the occasional fix... The latest example of that is a fix on the way for restoring Linux kernel support for the Transmeta Crusoe, the x86-compatible processor released back in 2000.

The Transmeta Crusoe VLIW processor was released back in 2000 and offered x86 compatibility via the Code Morphing Software. For those that didn't know or have since forgot, Linus Torvalds even worked at Transmeta from the late 90's to the early 00's.

Recently it was noted that the Transmeta Crusoe was unable to boot the Linux kernel when built with the MCRUSOE Kconfig build target. The x86 Kconfig file had been incorrectly setting the Transmeta Crusoe as an i686 processor rather than i586. In turn trying to boot on the Crusoe would yield an error over the kernel requiring an i686 class processor.

But with a one line patch now queued in x86/urgent, selecting the "MCRUSOE" option will treat it as Family 5 / i586 where it can then successfully boot. As it's going the "urgent" fixes route, the x86/urgent material should be sent in this weekend ahead of the Linux 6.8-rc4 kernel.