[PATCH] i386 - remove unnecessary unbusy TSS code

From: Zachary Amsden
Date: Fri Aug 13 2004 - 17:26:57 EST


I was looking at GDT updates in the Linux kernel and noticed some redundant code in initialization of the per-CPU GDT. This code is no longer necessary or commented, so I removed it for simplicity (and it saves 20 bytes of code space).

Version: patched against 2.6.7
Testing: compile and boot a Linux 2.6.7 kernel with my patch.
The TSS no longer needs to be unbusied before loading the task register,
since the set_tss_desc macros set the system gate type to Available IA-32 TSS.
This obscure, uncommented legacy code can now be removed for better
readability and saves 20 bytes of code space.

Here is a breakdown of __set_tss_desc + load_TR before and after. The
doublefault TSS GDT setup has similar savings.

- Zachary Amsden (zach@xxxxxxxxxx)

before:
c01d4535: ba 80 20 1b c0 mov $0xc01b2080,%edx
c01d453a: b8 00 d8 1c c0 mov $0xc01cd800,%eax
c01d453f: 66 c7 42 00 eb 00 movw $0xeb,0x0(%edx)
c01d4545: 66 89 42 02 mov %ax,0x2(%edx)
c01d4549: c1 c8 10 ror $0x10,%eax
c01d454c: 88 42 04 mov %al,0x4(%edx)
c01d454f: c6 42 05 89 movb $0x89,0x5(%edx)
^^ non-busy
c01d4553: c6 42 06 00 movb $0x0,0x6(%edx)
c01d4557: 88 62 07 mov %ah,0x7(%edx)
c01d455a: c1 c8 10 ror $0x10,%eax
c01d455d: 81 25 84 20 1b c0 ff andl $0xfffffdff,0xc01b2084
c01d4564: fd ff ff
c01d4567: b8 80 00 00 00 mov $0x80,%eax
c01d456c: 0f 00 d8 ltr %ax

now:
c01d4535: ba 80 20 1b c0 mov $0xc01b2080,%edx
c01d453a: b8 00 d8 1c c0 mov $0xc01cd800,%eax
c01d453f: 66 c7 42 00 eb 00 movw $0xeb,0x0(%edx)
c01d4545: 66 89 42 02 mov %ax,0x2(%edx)
c01d4549: c1 c8 10 ror $0x10,%eax
c01d454c: 88 42 04 mov %al,0x4(%edx)
c01d454f: c6 42 05 89 movb $0x89,0x5(%edx)
c01d4553: c6 42 06 00 movb $0x0,0x6(%edx)
c01d4557: 88 62 07 mov %ah,0x7(%edx)
c01d455a: c1 c8 10 ror $0x10,%eax
c01d455d: b8 80 00 00 00 mov $0x80,%eax
c01d4562: 0f 00 d8 ltr %ax

--- arch/i386/kernel/cpu/common.c.orig 2004-08-13 14:16:28.000000000 -0700
+++ arch/i386/kernel/cpu/common.c 2004-08-13 14:16:46.000000000 -0700
@@ -552,13 +552,11 @@

load_esp0(t, thread);
set_tss_desc(cpu,t);
- cpu_gdt_table[cpu][GDT_ENTRY_TSS].b &= 0xfffffdff;
load_TR_desc();
load_LDT(&init_mm.context);

/* Set up doublefault TSS pointer in the GDT */
__set_tss_desc(cpu, GDT_ENTRY_DOUBLEFAULT_TSS, &doublefault_tss);
- cpu_gdt_table[cpu][GDT_ENTRY_DOUBLEFAULT_TSS].b &= 0xfffffdff;

/* Clear %fs and %gs. */
asm volatile ("xorl %eax, %eax; movl %eax, %fs; movl %eax, %gs");