diff -u -pruN -X /home/tbird/dontdiff linux-2.6.10.orig/arch/ppc/kernel/time.c branch_RTC_NOSYNC/arch/ppc/kernel/time.c
--- linux-2.6.10.orig/arch/ppc/kernel/time.c	2004-12-24 13:35:23.000000000 -0800
+++ branch_RTC_NOSYNC/arch/ppc/kernel/time.c	2005-01-10 15:31:19.344528280 -0800
@@ -291,8 +297,12 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(do_settimeofday);
 /* This function is only called on the boot processor */
 void __init time_init(void)
 {
-	time_t sec, old_sec;
-	unsigned old_stamp, stamp, elapsed;
+	time_t sec;
+	unsigned stamp;
+#ifndef CONFIG_RTC_NO_SYNC
+	time_t old_sec;
+	unsigned old_stamp, elapsed;
+#endif
 
         if (ppc_md.time_init != NULL)
                 time_offset = ppc_md.time_init();
@@ -317,6 +327,7 @@ void __init time_init(void)
 	stamp = get_native_tbl();
 	if (ppc_md.get_rtc_time) {
 		sec = ppc_md.get_rtc_time();
+#ifndef CONFIG_RTC_NO_SYNC
 		elapsed = 0;
 		do {
 			old_stamp = stamp;
@@ -329,6 +340,7 @@ void __init time_init(void)
 		} while ( sec == old_sec && elapsed < 2*HZ*tb_ticks_per_jiffy);
 		if (sec==old_sec)
 			printk("Warning: real time clock seems stuck!\n");
+#endif
 		xtime.tv_sec = sec;
 		xtime.tv_nsec = 0;
 		/* No update now, we just read the time from the RTC ! */
diff -u -pruN -X /home/tbird/dontdiff linux-2.6.10.orig/init/Kconfig branch_RTC_NOSYNC/init/Kconfig
--- linux-2.6.10.orig/init/Kconfig	2004-12-24 13:35:24.000000000 -0800
+++ branch_RTC_NOSYNC/init/Kconfig	2005-01-10 15:40:55.044401994 -0800
@@ -248,6 +248,33 @@ config IKCONFIG_PROC
 	  This option enables access to the kernel configuration file
 	  through /proc/config.gz.
 
+menuconfig FASTBOOT
+	bool "Fast boot options"
+	help
+	  Say Y here to select among various options that can decrease
+	  kernel boot time.  These options may involve providing
+	  hardcoded values for some parameters that the kernel usually
+	  determines automatically.
+
+	  This option is useful primarily on embedded systems.
+
+	  If unsure, say N.
+
+config RTC_NO_SYNC
+	bool "Disable synch on read of Real Time Clock" if FASTBOOT
+	default n
+	help
+	  The Real Time Clock is read aligned by default. That means a
+	  series of reads of the RTC are done until it's verified that
+          the RTC's state has just changed.  If you enable this feature,
+          this synchronization will not be performed.  The result is that
+	  the machine will boot up to 1 second faster. 
+
+	  A drawback is that, with this option enabled, your system
+	  clock may drift from the correct value over the course
+	  of several boot cycles (under certain circumstances).
+
+	  If unsure, say N.
 
 menuconfig EMBEDDED
 	bool "Configure standard kernel features (for small systems)"