Re: [PATCH 0/8] x86 boot, pda and gdt cleanups

From: Jeremy Fitzhardinge
Date: Wed Mar 14 2007 - 21:57:37 EST


Rusty Russell wrote:
> Hmm, this invalidated my assumption that write_gdt_entry is always a
> write to this cpu's active gdt. Better fix is not to call it twice
> anyway...
>

No, I don't think that's true. I implemented the write_*_entry
functions with the assumption they could be called either on setup or on
an in-use entry. I think its good policy to use it all the time anyway,
since the pv_ops backend might want to fiddle with the values on the way
through.

I tried to avoid calling init_gdt twice, but it seemed cleaner to just
let it happen.

> Getting rid of the call in smp_prepare_boot_cpu currently works, but
> it's fragile: __get_cpu_var(x) && per_cpu(x, smp_processor_id()) will
> differ, and changes made to __get_cpu_var(x) will vanish...
>

Yes. I think its definitely a good idea to call init_gdt asap after
doing the percpu setup.

> Fortunately, UP doesn't have to call init_gdt at all, so I think it's
> better to place it in smp_prepare_boot_cpu only and then clean up the UP
> code. I'll try now...
>
It doesn't? The per-cpu gdt is the same as the boot gdt?


J
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