AMD Geode CPU Support Being Orphaned By Linux
([AMD] 5 Hours Ago
AMD Geode)
- Reference: 0001632004
- News link: https://www.phoronix.com/news/AMD-Geode-Orphaned-By-Linux
- Source link:
For those with fond memories of the AMD Geode x86 embedded processors, the Linux kernel is set to orphan these since discontinued and obsolete CPUs.
Following [1]Linux beginning to phase out Intel 486 CPU support , the next on the chopping block could be the AMD Geode processor support but for now it's being just treated as "orphaned" code without anyone actively maintaining the support. If it falls further into disrepair it could ultimately be marked as deprecated and removed from the mainline Linux kernel. There is already slim chances anyone still actively using AMD Geode embedded processors are also actively updating and using the very latest mainline, upstream Linux kernel versions on these processors approaching thirty years of age.
[2]This patch was queued into tip/tip.git's "x86/cpu" Git branch ahead of the Linux 7.2 merge window this summer:
"x86: Mark AMD Geode support as orphaned
Andres mentioned that he no longer has access to Geode hardware including the OLPC XO-1, so the MAINTAINERS entry is no longer accurate. I also noticed that the documentation link no longer works, as the product was finally discontinued a few years ago.
Aside from the XO-1, there are still a few embeded boards with custom code in arch/x86/platforms/geode and a number of Geode based thin clients were shipped that may continue to work without any custom kernel code.
Mark the platform as orphaned, remove the dead link, and update the files list to include the platform code."
The One Laptop Per Child XO-1 was one of the most notable users of AMD Geode from the Linux perspective but there are other embedded systems out there. Again though whether they are updating to new upstream Linux kernel versions in 2026+ remains to be seen.
For anyone still using AMD Geode, modern Ryzen/EPYC Embedded is leaps and bounds far superior performance, power efficiency and security capabilities better for EOL'ing Geode and going for a modern Linux experience.
[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.1-Begins-Removing-i486
[2] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/commit/?id=4af2468b82bd6d6a28742f94746c1af832227f1a
Following [1]Linux beginning to phase out Intel 486 CPU support , the next on the chopping block could be the AMD Geode processor support but for now it's being just treated as "orphaned" code without anyone actively maintaining the support. If it falls further into disrepair it could ultimately be marked as deprecated and removed from the mainline Linux kernel. There is already slim chances anyone still actively using AMD Geode embedded processors are also actively updating and using the very latest mainline, upstream Linux kernel versions on these processors approaching thirty years of age.
[2]This patch was queued into tip/tip.git's "x86/cpu" Git branch ahead of the Linux 7.2 merge window this summer:
"x86: Mark AMD Geode support as orphaned
Andres mentioned that he no longer has access to Geode hardware including the OLPC XO-1, so the MAINTAINERS entry is no longer accurate. I also noticed that the documentation link no longer works, as the product was finally discontinued a few years ago.
Aside from the XO-1, there are still a few embeded boards with custom code in arch/x86/platforms/geode and a number of Geode based thin clients were shipped that may continue to work without any custom kernel code.
Mark the platform as orphaned, remove the dead link, and update the files list to include the platform code."
The One Laptop Per Child XO-1 was one of the most notable users of AMD Geode from the Linux perspective but there are other embedded systems out there. Again though whether they are updating to new upstream Linux kernel versions in 2026+ remains to be seen.
For anyone still using AMD Geode, modern Ryzen/EPYC Embedded is leaps and bounds far superior performance, power efficiency and security capabilities better for EOL'ing Geode and going for a modern Linux experience.
[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.1-Begins-Removing-i486
[2] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/commit/?id=4af2468b82bd6d6a28742f94746c1af832227f1a