- This replaces the current existing IRQ-based index interrupt scheme
- with the vector-base index scheme. The advantages of vector base
- over IRQ base are listed below:
- 1) Support MSI implementation.
- 2) Support future IOxAPIC hotplug
-
- Note that this allows the device drivers to enable MSI, Message
- Signaled Interrupt, on all MSI capable device functions detected.
- Message Signal Interrupt enables an MSI-capable hardware device to
- send an inbound Memory Write on its PCI bus instead of asserting
- IRQ signal on device IRQ pin.
+ This allows device drivers to enable MSI (Message Signaled
+ Interrupts). Message Signaled Interrupts enable a device to
+ generate an interrupt using an inbound Memory Write on its
+ PCI bus instead of asserting a device IRQ pin.
+
+ Use of PCI MSI interrupts can be disabled at kernel boot time
+ by using the 'pci=nomsi' option. This disables MSI for the
+ entire system.