[PATCH 2/3] perf: arm_spe: Disable buffer before writing to PMBPTR_EL1 or PMBSR_EL1

From: James Clark
Date: Tue Jul 01 2025 - 11:39:36 EST


DEN0154 states that writes to PMBPTR_EL1 or PMBSR_EL1 must be done while
the buffer is disabled (PMBLIMITR_EL1.E == 0). Re-arrange the interrupt
handler to always disable the buffer for non-spurious interrupts before
doing either.

Most of arm_spe_pmu_disable_and_drain_local() is now always done, so for
faults the only thing left to do is clear PMSCR_EL1.

Elaborate the comment in arm_spe_pmu_disable_and_drain_local() to
explain the ramifications of not doing it in the right order.

Fixes: d5d9696b0380 ("drivers/perf: Add support for ARMv8.2 Statistical Profiling Extension")
Signed-off-by: James Clark <james.clark@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
drivers/perf/arm_spe_pmu.c | 33 +++++++++++++++++++++------------
1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/perf/arm_spe_pmu.c b/drivers/perf/arm_spe_pmu.c
index 6235ca7ecd48..5829947c8871 100644
--- a/drivers/perf/arm_spe_pmu.c
+++ b/drivers/perf/arm_spe_pmu.c
@@ -559,7 +559,12 @@ static void arm_spe_perf_aux_output_end(struct perf_output_handle *handle)

static void arm_spe_pmu_disable_and_drain_local(void)
{
- /* Disable profiling at EL0 and EL1 */
+ /*
+ * To prevent the CONSTRAINED UNPREDICTABLE behavior of either writing
+ * to memory after the buffer is disabled, or SPE reporting an access
+ * not allowed event, we must disable sampling before draining the
+ * buffer.
+ */
write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_PMSCR_EL1);
isb();

@@ -661,16 +666,24 @@ static irqreturn_t arm_spe_pmu_irq_handler(int irq, void *dev)
*/
irq_work_run();

+ /*
+ * arm_spe_pmu_buf_get_fault_act() already drained, and PMBSR_EL1.S == 1
+ * means that StatisticalProfilingEnabled() == false. So now we can
+ * safely disable the buffer.
+ */
+ write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_PMBLIMITR_EL1);
+ isb();
+
+ /* Status can be cleared now that PMBLIMITR_EL1.E == 0 */
+ write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_PMBSR_EL1);
+
switch (act) {
case SPE_PMU_BUF_FAULT_ACT_FATAL:
/*
- * If a fatal exception occurred then leaving the profiling
- * buffer enabled is a recipe waiting to happen. Since
- * fatal faults don't always imply truncation, make sure
- * that the profiling buffer is disabled explicitly before
- * clearing the syndrome register.
+ * To complete the full disable sequence, also disable profiling
+ * at EL0 and EL1, we don't want to continue at all anymore.
*/
- arm_spe_pmu_disable_and_drain_local();
+ write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_PMSCR_EL1);
break;
case SPE_PMU_BUF_FAULT_ACT_OK:
/*
@@ -679,18 +692,14 @@ static irqreturn_t arm_spe_pmu_irq_handler(int irq, void *dev)
* PMBPTR might be misaligned, but we'll burn that bridge
* when we get to it.
*/
- if (!(handle->aux_flags & PERF_AUX_FLAG_TRUNCATED)) {
+ if (!(handle->aux_flags & PERF_AUX_FLAG_TRUNCATED))
arm_spe_perf_aux_output_begin(handle, event);
- isb();
- }
break;
case SPE_PMU_BUF_FAULT_ACT_SPURIOUS:
/* We've seen you before, but GCC has the memory of a sieve. */
break;
}

- /* The buffer pointers are now sane, so resume profiling. */
- write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_PMBSR_EL1);
return IRQ_HANDLED;
}


--
2.34.1