[PATCH 1/2] kthread: add a missing memory barrier to kthread_stop()

From: Dmitry Adamushko
Date: Wed Feb 20 2008 - 16:36:48 EST


From: Dmitry Adamushko <dmitry.adamushko@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: kthread: add a missing memory barrier to kthread_stop()

We must ensure that kthread_stop_info.k has been updated before
kthread's wakeup. This is required to properly support
the use of kthread_should_stop() in the main loop of kthread.

wake_up_process() doesn't imply a full memory barrier,
so we add an explicit one.

There is a requirement on how a main loop of kthread has to be orginized.

Namely, the sequence of events that lead to kthread being blocked (schedule())
has to be ordered as follows:

- set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
- if (kthread_should_stop()) break;
- schedule() or similar.

set_current_state() implies a full memory barrier, so this is
a matching barrier on the side of kthread_should_stop().

Signed-off-by: Dmitry Adamushko <dmitry.adamushko@xxxxxxxxx>


diff --git a/kernel/kthread.c b/kernel/kthread.c
index 45f8b83..86b69a0 100644
--- a/kernel/kthread.c
+++ b/kernel/kthread.c
@@ -53,6 +53,19 @@ static struct kthread_stop_info kthread_stop_info;
* When someone calls kthread_stop() on your kthread, it will be woken
* and this will return true. You should then return, and your return
* value will be passed through to kthread_stop().
+ *
+ * In order to safely use kthread_stop() for kthread, there is a requirement
+ * on how its main loop has to be orginized. Namely, the sequence of
+ * events that lead to kthread being blocked (schedule()) has to be
+ * ordered as follows:
+ *
+ * - set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
+ * - if (kthread_should_stop()) break;
+ * - schedule() or similar.
+ *
+ * set_current_state() implies a full memory barrier. kthread_stop()
+ * has a matching barrier right after an update of kthread_stop_info.k
+ * and before kthread's wakeup.
*/
int kthread_should_stop(void)
{
@@ -211,6 +224,15 @@ int kthread_stop(struct task_struct *k)

/* Now set kthread_should_stop() to true, and wake it up. */
kthread_stop_info.k = k;
+
+ /*
+ * We must ensure that kthread_stop_info.k has been updated before
+ * the following wakeup. This is required to properly support the use
+ * of kthread_should_stop() in the main loop of kthread
+ * (see description of kthread_should_stop() for more details).
+ */
+ smp_mb();
+
wake_up_process(k);
put_task_struct(k);



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