linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH -v2] perf, x86: try to handle unknown nmis with running perfctrs

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Message-ID: <20100812135233.GL4879@redhat.com>
Date:	Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:52:33 -0400
From:	Don Zickus <dzickus@...hat.com>
To:	Robert Richter <robert.richter@....com>
Cc:	Cyrill Gorcunov <gorcunov@...il.com>,
	Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>,
	Lin Ming <ming.m.lin@...el.com>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>,
	"fweisbec@...il.com" <fweisbec@...il.com>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	"Huang, Ying" <ying.huang@...el.com>,
	Yinghai Lu <yinghai@...nel.org>,
	Andi Kleen <andi@...stfloor.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH -v2] perf, x86: try to handle unknown nmis with running
 perfctrs

On Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 12:00:58AM +0200, Robert Richter wrote:
> I was debuging this a little more, see version 2 below.
> 
> -Robert
> 
> --
> 
> From 8bb831af56d118b85fc38e0ddc2e516f7504b9fb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: Robert Richter <robert.richter@....com>
> Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 16:19:59 +0200
> Subject: [PATCH] perf, x86: try to handle unknown nmis with running perfctrs
> 
> When perfctrs are running it is valid to have unhandled nmis, two
> events could trigger 'simultaneously' raising two back-to-back
> NMIs. If the first NMI handles both, the latter will be empty and daze
> the CPU.
> 
> The solution to avoid an 'unknown nmi' massage in this case was simply
> to stop the nmi handler chain when perfctrs are runnning by stating
> the nmi was handled. This has the drawback that a) we can not detect
> unknown nmis anymore, and b) subsequent nmi handlers are not called.
> 
> This patch addresses this. Now, we check this unknown NMI if it could
> be a perfctr back-to-back NMI. Otherwise we pass it and let the kernel
> handle the unknown nmi.

Seems to cover my concerns.  Great work!

ACK

Cheers,
Don
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