linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 1/4] x86/fpu: Clear XSTATE_BV[i] in save state whenever XFD[i]=1

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Message-ID: <aVxiowGbWNgY2cWD@google.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2026 17:17:23 -0800
From: Sean Christopherson <seanjc@...gle.com>
To: Jim Mattson <jmattson@...gle.com>
Cc: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@...hat.com>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, kvm@...r.kernel.org, 
	x86@...nel.org, stable@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/4] x86/fpu: Clear XSTATE_BV[i] in save state whenever XFD[i]=1

On Mon, Jan 05, 2026, Jim Mattson wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 1, 2026 at 1:13 AM Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@...hat.com> wrote:
> >
> > From: Sean Christopherson <seanjc@...gle.com>
> > ...
> > +       /*
> > +        * KVM's guest ABI is that setting XFD[i]=1 *can* immediately revert
> > +        * the save state to initialized.
> 
> This comment suggests that an entry should be added to
> Documentation/virt/kvm/x86/errata.rst.

Hmm, I don't think it's necessary, the SDM (in a style more suited for the APM,
*sigh*), "recommends" that software not rely on state being maintained when disabled
via XFD.

  Before doing so, system software should first initialize AMX state (e.g., by
  executing TILERELEASE); maintaining AMX state in a non-initialized state may
  have negative power and performance implications and will prevent the execution
  of In-Field Scan tests. In addition, software should not rely on the state of
  the tile data after setting IA32_XFD[17] or IA32_XFD[18]; software should always
  reload or reinitialize the tile data after clearing IA32_XFD[17] and IA32_XFD[18].

  System software should not use XFD to implement a “lazy restore” approach to
  management of the TILEDATA state component. This approach will not operate correctly
  for a variety of reasons. One is that the LDTILECFG and TILERELEASE instructions
  initialize TILEDATA and do not cause an #NM exception. Another is that an execution
  of XSAVE, XSAVEC, XSAVEOPT, or XSAVES by a user thread will save TILEDATA as
  initialized instead of the data expected by the user thread.

I suppose that doesn't _quite_ say that the CPU is allowed to clobber state, but
it's darn close.

I'm definitely not opposed to officially documenting KVM's virtual CPU implementation,
but IMO calling it an erratum is a bit unfair.