linux-kernel - [PATCH] printk: avoid livelock if another CPU printks continuously

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Date:	Mon,  8 Feb 2016 21:35:03 +0100
From:	Denys Vlasenko <dvlasenk@...hat.com>
To:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Cc:	Denys Vlasenko <dvlasenk@...hat.com>, srostedt@...hat.com,
	Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>,
	Tejun Heo <tj@...nel.org>,
	Peter Hurley <peter@...leysoftware.com>
Subject: [PATCH] printk: avoid livelock if another CPU printks continuously

At the end of each printk(), kernel attempts to take console_sem.
If this succeeds, it feeds buffered message data to console devices
until there is nothing left, and releases console_sem:

        if (console_trylock_for_printk(this_cpu))
                console_unlock();

The livelock exists because code in console_unlock() has no
limit on the amount of buffered data it would process under
console_sem. This is bad if printk() was called with IRQs disabled.

This patch makes console_unlock() release console_sem after 5
iterations, which usually amounts to 5 lines of printk messages,
and give other printk'ing CPUs a chance to acquire console_sem.

If some CPU grabs it, console_unlock() finishes.
If no one takes the semaphore, console_unlock() re-acquires it
and loops back for another cycle of console output.

This seems to be a hard-to-trigger, but long-existing problem:

I did not observe the bug myself. I have two separate user reports,
from two different kernels, who report hangs on boot
when a RAID driver produces a voluminous printk flood of disk
detection errors. Some of them are reported by a printk from
IRQ-off region. If that IRQ-off printk gets to print all the
other printks from all other CPUs, the machine hangs.

This patch is reported to make affected user's machine survive.

Signed-off-by: Denys Vlasenko <dvlasenk@...hat.com>
CC: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
CC: srostedt@...hat.com
CC: Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>
CC: Tejun Heo <tj@...nel.org>
CC: Peter Hurley <peter@...leysoftware.com>
---
 kernel/printk/printk.c | 25 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+)

diff --git a/kernel/printk/printk.c b/kernel/printk/printk.c
index c963ba5..ca4f9d55 100644
--- a/kernel/printk/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk/printk.c
@@ -2235,6 +2235,7 @@ void console_unlock(void)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	bool wake_klogd = false;
 	bool do_cond_resched, retry;
+	unsigned cnt;

 	if (console_suspended) {
 		up_console_sem();
@@ -2257,6 +2258,7 @@ void console_unlock(void)
 	/* flush buffered message fragment immediately to console */
 	console_cont_flush(text, sizeof(text));
 again:
+	cnt = 5;
 	for (;;) {
 		struct printk_log *msg;
 		size_t ext_len = 0;
@@ -2284,6 +2286,9 @@ skip:
 		if (console_seq == log_next_seq)
 			break;

+		if (--cnt == 0)
+			break;	/* Someone else printk's like crazy */
+
 		msg = log_from_idx(console_idx);
 		if (msg->flags & LOG_NOCONS) {
 			/*
@@ -2350,6 +2355,26 @@ skip:
 	if (retry && console_trylock())
 		goto again;

+	if (cnt == 0) {
+		/*
+		 * Other CPU(s) printk like crazy, filling log_buf[].
+		 * Try to get rid of the "honor" of servicing their data:
+		 * give _them_ time to grab console_sem and start working.
+		 */
+		cnt = 9999;
+		while (--cnt != 0) {
+			cpu_relax();
+			if (console_seq == log_next_seq) {
+				/* Good, other CPU entered "for(;;)" loop */
+				goto out;
+			}
+		}
+		/* No one seems to be willing to take it... */
+		if (console_trylock())
+			goto again; /* we took it */
+		/* Nope, someone else holds console_sem! Good */
+	}
+out:
 	if (wake_klogd)
 		wake_up_klogd();
 }
-- 
1.8.1.4