diff -urN linux.f/arch/alpha/vmlinux.lds linux.bss/arch/alpha/vmlinux.lds
--- linux.f/arch/alpha/vmlinux.lds	Wed May 14 07:41:00 1997
+++ linux.bss/arch/alpha/vmlinux.lds	Wed Apr  5 10:43:50 2000
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@
   .got : { *(.got) }
   .sdata : { *(.sdata) }
   _edata = .;
-  _bss = .;
+
+  __bss_start = .;
   .sbss : { *(.sbss) *(.scommon) }
   .bss : { *(.bss) *(COMMON) }
+  __bss_stop = .;
   _end = .;
 
   .mdebug 0 : { *(.mdebug) }
diff -urN linux.f/arch/i386/kernel/head.S linux.bss/arch/i386/kernel/head.S
--- linux.f/arch/i386/kernel/head.S	Fri Jan 15 07:57:25 1999
+++ linux.bss/arch/i386/kernel/head.S	Wed Apr  5 10:43:50 2000
@@ -83,22 +83,12 @@
 
 #ifdef __SMP__
 	orw  %bx,%bx
-	jz  1f				/* Initial CPU cleans BSS */
+	jz  1f				/* Initial CPU setup the system */
 	pushl $0
 	popfl
 	jmp checkCPUtype
 1:
 #endif __SMP__
-/*
- * Clear BSS first so that there are no surprises...
- */
-	xorl %eax,%eax
-	movl $ SYMBOL_NAME(__bss_start),%edi
-	movl $ SYMBOL_NAME(_end),%ecx
-	subl %edi,%ecx
-	cld
-	rep
-	stosb
 /*
  * start system 32-bit setup. We need to re-do some of the things done
  * in 16-bit mode for the "real" operations.
diff -urN linux.f/arch/i386/vmlinux.lds.S linux.bss/arch/i386/vmlinux.lds.S
--- linux.f/arch/i386/vmlinux.lds.S	Mon Aug  9 21:04:38 1999
+++ linux.bss/arch/i386/vmlinux.lds.S	Wed Apr  5 10:43:50 2000
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
   .bss : {
 	*(.bss)
 	}
+  __bss_stop = .;
   _end = . ;
 
   /* Stabs debugging sections.  */
diff -urN linux.f/arch/ppc/vmlinux.lds linux.bss/arch/ppc/vmlinux.lds
--- linux.f/arch/ppc/vmlinux.lds	Wed Dec 30 19:55:07 1998
+++ linux.bss/arch/ppc/vmlinux.lds	Wed Apr  5 10:45:19 2000
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
    *(.bss)
    *(COMMON)
   }
+  __bss_stop = .;
   _end = . ;
   PROVIDE (end = .);
 }
diff -urN linux.f/arch/sparc/vmlinux.lds linux.bss/arch/sparc/vmlinux.lds
--- linux.f/arch/sparc/vmlinux.lds	Thu Mar 11 01:53:36 1999
+++ linux.bss/arch/sparc/vmlinux.lds	Wed Apr  5 10:45:44 2000
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
    *(.bss)
    *(COMMON)
   }
+  __bss_stop = .;
   _end = . ;
   PROVIDE (end = .);
   /* Stabs debugging sections.  */
diff -urN linux.f/arch/sparc64/vmlinux.lds linux.bss/arch/sparc64/vmlinux.lds
--- linux.f/arch/sparc64/vmlinux.lds	Wed Aug  5 01:03:35 1998
+++ linux.bss/arch/sparc64/vmlinux.lds	Wed Apr  5 10:46:18 2000
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
    *(.bss)
    *(COMMON)
   }
+  __bss_stop = .;
   _end = . ;
   PROVIDE (end = .);
   /* Stabs debugging sections.  */
diff -urN linux.f/init/main.c linux.bss/init/main.c
--- linux.f/init/main.c	Wed Apr  5 10:42:03 2000
+++ linux.bss/init/main.c	Wed Apr  5 10:43:50 2000
@@ -1252,6 +1252,13 @@
 
 extern void initialize_secondary(void);
 
+static void __init clear_bss(void)
+{
+	extern char * __bss_start, __bss_stop;
+	memset(__bss_start, 0,
+	       (unsigned long) __bss_stop - (unsigned long) __bss_start);
+}
+
 /*
  *	Activate the first processor.
  */
@@ -1259,9 +1266,13 @@
 asmlinkage void __init start_kernel(void)
 {
 	char * command_line;
-
 #ifdef __SMP__
 	static int boot_cpu = 1;
+#endif
+
+	clear_bss();
+
+#ifdef __SMP__
 	/* "current" has been set up, we need to load it now */
 	if (!boot_cpu)
 		initialize_secondary();