Re: [PATCH 1/3] nmi: create generic NMI backtrace implementation

[Daniel Thompson]

On 25/07/15 15:42, Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 16, 2015 at 10:51:25AM +0100, Daniel Thompson wrote:
> > On 16/07/15 10:37, Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> > > That can be implemented in the arch raise() method if needed - most
> > > architectures shouldn't need it as if they are properly raising a NMI
> > > which is, by definition, deliverable with normal IRQs disabled.
> >
> > Agreed. The bug certainly could be fixed in the ARM raise() function.
> >
> > However I'm still curious whether there is any architecture that benefits
> > from forcing the current CPU into an NMI handler? Why doesn't the
> > don't-run-unnecessary-code argument apply here as well?
>
> The benefit is that we get a consistent way of invoking the backtrace,
> since causing the NMI exception gives us a 'struct pt_regs' to work
> with, which we wouldn't otherwise have if we tried to call it "inline".
>
> The NMI backtrace includes dumping the register state of the NMI-
> receiving CPUs, which needs a 'struct pt_regs' and generating a that in
> arch-independent code wouldn't be nice.

Previously I have relied on dump_stack() for this. That should work 
everywhere although guess the arch code might display the stack display 
differently.


> In any case, if this area needs changing in the generic code, it should
> be done as a separate change so that it can be properly assessed and
> validated on x86.

Do you want me to supply a patch to fix the IRQ issue in the arm 
specific code for now?

If we don't fix that then the behaviour of SysRq-L on ARM will change 
and the output will no longer include the CPU that executed SysRq-L.


> In the mean time, I will action Thomas' request to put it into my tree
> so that we can get some reasonable linux-next time with it, and hopefully
> have some progress towards FIQ-based backtracing for ARM.

Great!

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