Dell Inspiron 8200, 2.5.69, ACPI problems

ACPI: AC Adapter [AC] (on-line)
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
ACPI: Battery Slot [BAT0] (battery present)
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
-0091: *** Error: ut_allocate: Attempt to allocate zero bytes
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
-0091: *** Error: ut_allocate: Attempt to allocate zero bytes
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
-0091: *** Error: ut_allocate: Attempt to allocate zero bytes
ACPI-0207: *** Warning: Buffer created with zero length in AML
-0091: *** Error: ut_allocate: Attempt to allocate zero bytes
ACPI: Battery Slot [BAT1] (battery present)
ACPI: Lid Switch [LID]
ACPI: Power Button (CM) [PBTN]
ACPI: Sleep Button (CM) [SBTN]
ACPI: Processor [CPU0] (supports C1 C2, 8 throttling states)
ACPI: Thermal Zone [THM] (25 C)

As a 'me too' the same is true on inspiron 8500, under 2.4 and 2.5. I've got a fixed-up DSDT installed (see the guide at
http://www.cpqlinux.com/acpi-howto.html and
http://developer.intel.com/technology/iapc/acpi/bios_override.htm ..) and that drops some of the noise (and fixes some of the missing bits) but acpid and others (basically any acpi call) results in similar messages.

Its not a kernel issue (well, its a warning from the kernel.. but the kernel can't fix this directly.) Turning off ACPI debugging will probably make it stop, but the underlying issue is Dell (and many other vendors) don't test their ACPI firmware under anything except windows.

Q16. What is the "implicit return" issue, and why hasn't it been fixed? A16. {cut} Due to an errata, this bug does not manifest itself on Windows' ACPI implementations, and therefore was not detected when OEMs tested their systems using that OS.

We've made the decision for now to not be bug-for-bug compatible with
existing ACPI OS implementations. We are implementing according to the ACPI specification's requirements, and hopefully this may drive better compliance on all operating systems.

Disconnect <[email protected]>