diff --git a/arch/ppc64/kernel/lparcfg.c b/arch/ppc64/kernel/lparcfg.c
--- a/arch/ppc64/kernel/lparcfg.c
+++ b/arch/ppc64/kernel/lparcfg.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 #include <asm/iSeries/ItExtVpdPanel.h>
 #include <asm/prom.h>
 
-#define MODULE_VERS "1.6"
+#define MODULE_VERS "1.7"
 #define MODULE_NAME "lparcfg"
 
 /* #define LPARCFG_DEBUG */
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static void parse_system_parameter_strin
 {
 	int call_status;
 
-	char *local_buffer = kmalloc(SPLPAR_MAXLENGTH, GFP_KERNEL);
+	unsigned char *local_buffer = kmalloc(SPLPAR_MAXLENGTH, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!local_buffer) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s %s kmalloc failure at line %d \n",
 		       __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__);
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ static void parse_system_parameter_strin
 #ifdef LPARCFG_DEBUG
 		printk(KERN_INFO "success calling get-system-parameter \n");
 #endif
-		splpar_strlen = local_buffer[0] * 16 + local_buffer[1];
+		splpar_strlen = local_buffer[0] * 256 + local_buffer[1];
 		local_buffer += 2;	/* step over strlen value */
 
 		memset(workbuffer, 0, SPLPAR_MAXLENGTH);