linux-kernel - recursive use of bust

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Message-Id: <46C5982F.76E4.0078.0@novell.com>
Date:	Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:44:31 +0100
From:	"Jan Beulich" <jbeulich@...ell.com>
To:	<linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: recursive use of bust_spinlocks()

Various architectures may call bust_spinlocks() recursively (when calling die() in
the context do an unresolved page fault); the function itself, however, doesn't
appear to be meant to be called in this manner. Nevertheless, this doesn't
appear to be a problem as long as bust_spinlocks(0) doesn't get called twice
in a row (otherwise, unblank_screen() may enter the scheduler). However, at
least on i386 die() has been capable of returning (and on other architectures
this should really be that way, too) when notify_die() returns NOTIFY_STOP.

The question now is: Should bust_spinlocks() increment/decrement
oops_in_progress (and kick klogd only when the count drops to zero), or
should we just avoid entering the scheduler by forcibly setting
oops_in_progress to 1 prior to calling unblank_screen(), or should all
architectures currently doing so avoid calling bust_spinlocks() recursively?

Further, many (if not all) architectures seem to have adopted the recursive
die() invocation protection. However, the logic there unconditionally calls
spin_unlock_irqrestore() (besides also allowing for bust_spinlocks() to be
used recursively), instead of undoing just what had been done for the
current function invocation.

Suggestions?

Thanks, Jan

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