LOCATION
linux/arch/i386/time.c
EXPLANATION
time.c has a dumb printk that fills up /var/log/messages even on NON-VIA chipsets (e.g. ALi Aladdin 7). The functionality is benign, according to Alan Cox on multiple newsgroups. However, the printk should be commented out to save /var/log/messages from updating every minute!
This nuisance should not affect Linux 2.4.x; time.c is not the same in that kernel as I recall.
The following snippet shows the repaired code, beginning at line 480 of time.c.
/* VIA686a test code... reset the latch if count > max */
if (count > LATCH-1) {
/* static int last_whine; */
outb_p(0x34, 0x43);
outb_p(LATCH & 0xff, 0x40);
outb(LATCH >> 8, 0x40);
count = LATCH - 1;
/* if(time_after(jiffies, last_whine)) */
/* { */
/* printk(KERN_WARNING "probable hardware bug: clock timer configuration lost - probably a VIA686a.\n"); */
/* printk(KERN_WARNING "probable hardware bug: restoring chip configuration.\n"); */
/* last_whine = jiffies + HZ; */
/* } */
}