I just build oprofile 0.9.4 from the sources, as the ubunto package for 0.9.3 does not work (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/oprofile/+bug/272209). After fixing one minor build problem (that is fixed in oprofile cvs), it builds and install. Still it does fail the same way likne 0.9.3. I appreciate any hint what actualy goes wrong.
This is done as root:
# opcontrol --version
opcontrol: oprofile 0.9.4 compiled on Mar 3 2009 11:20:06
# opcontrol --start
cpu_type 'unset' is not valid
you should upgrade oprofile or force the use of timer mode
cpu_type 'unset' is not valid
you should upgrade oprofile or force the use of timer mode
Using default event:
cpu_type 'unset' is not valid
you should upgrade oprofile or force the use of timer mode
# lsmod | grep op
oprofile 38176 1
Forgot to mention that I read the FAQ
# cat /dev/oprofile/cpu_type && echo
i386/p6
It would be good to update the FAQ and tell what output hints that the cpu might be unsupported.
$ grep "i386/p6" libop/op_cpu_type.c
{ "Pentium M (P6 core)", "i386/p6_mobile", CPU_P6_MOBILE, 2 },
but my "/dev/oprofile/cpu_type" has "i386/p6". Can I set this somehow?
Adding it to libop/op_cpu_type.c seems to make things work for me. Dunno why it worked in the past
/* HACK { */
{ "Pentium M (P6 core)", "i386/p6", CPU_P6_MOBILE, 2 },
/* } */
This is not an oprofile bug. The i386/p6 cpu type is simply not recognized by oprofile userspace (as the FAQ states). The same issue was already reported in bug https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=2439652&group_id=16191&atid=116191, which was closed as a kernel bug. Apparently, there was some mix-up for a time in the kernel where i386/p6_mobile (which *is* supported by oprofile userspace) was incorrectly reporting as i386/p6.