Re: [PATCH 3/4] Add physical count arch timer support for clocksourcein ARMv7.

From: cinifr
Date: Fri Sep 13 2013 - 09:10:08 EST


> I urge you to read the ARM ARM, and specifically the section dedicated
> to trapping access to CP15 operations. If you do, you'll quickly notice
> that you *cannot* trap accesses to the timer subsystem.
>
I read it again. The ARMv7 manual said "Is accessible from Non-secure
PL1 modes only when CNTHCTL.PL1PCTEN is set to 1. When
CNTHCTL.PL1PCTEN is set to 0, any attempt to access CNTPCT from a
Non-secure PL1 mode ***generates a Hyp Trap exception***, see Hyp Trap
exception on page B1-1206" in B8.1.2. but I dont find a special hyp
trap control for accessing CNTPCT in manual. As you said HSTR cannot
trap accessing of CP15 c14. What happer when OS access CNTPCT from PL1
NS=1 mode with CNTHCTL.PL1PCTEN=0 ??? AmI wrong for understanding
the manual?
Thanks.
BTW: And I fond xen have support to trap accessing CNTPCT by this
patch on http://lists.xen.org/archives/html/xen-devel/2012-08/msg00452.html.

> All you can do is disable access to the physical timer/counter,
> resulting in an UNDEF in the *guest*.
>
> Additionally, please realise the overhead of trapping is enormous, and
> that we do try very hard to minimise it. Why do you think we went out of
> our way to ensure that host and guest would use different timers, always?

>
> CNTVOFF can only be setup from either HYP or Secure Monitor mode with
> SCR.NS == 1, so if you run your kernel in secure mode, it is always best
> to do it in the bootloader.
I agree it, Bootloader do it better.

Fan
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