Re: [RFC][PATCH 3/3] x86: Add workaround to NMI iret woes

From: Borislav Petkov
Date: Fri Dec 09 2011 - 12:49:24 EST


Hey Steve,

On Fri, Dec 09, 2011 at 12:19:31PM -0500, Steven Rostedt wrote:
> Could you shed some light on this. Can an NMI interrupt an MCE in
> progress?

Easy, http://support.amd.com/us/Processor_TechDocs/APM_V2_24593.pdf,
section 8.5.

On amd64 #MC is along with processor reset the highest prio. Judging
from the text, an NMI occurring during an #MC is held until we return
from the #MC handler:

"When simultaneous interrupts occur, the processor transfers control
to the highest-priority interrupt handler. Lower-priority interrupts
from external sources are held pending by the processor, and they are
handled after the higher-priority interrupt is handled. Lower-priority
interrupts that result from internal sources are discarded. Those
interrupts reoccur when the high-priority interrupt handler completes
and transfers control back to the interrupted instruction."

HTH.

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Boris.

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