linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] printk, vt, fbcon: Remove console_conditional

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Message-ID: <e95d2966-6136-489b-a48f-ea22f3cd2128@gmx.de>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:05:47 +0100
From: Helge Deller <deller@....de>
To: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>,
 Sebastian Andrzej Siewior <bigeasy@...utronix.de>
Cc: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-serial@...r.kernel.org,
 linux-fbdev@...r.kernel.org, dri-devel@...ts.freedesktop.org,
 linux-rt-devel@...ts.linux.dev, Petr Mladek <pmladek@...e.com>,
 Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>, John Ogness
 <john.ogness@...utronix.de>, Sergey Senozhatsky <senozhatsky@...omium.org>,
 Jiri Slaby <jirislaby@...nel.org>, Simona Vetter <simona@...ll.ch>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] printk, vt, fbcon: Remove console_conditional_schedule()

On 1/27/26 15:24, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 07:08:36PM +0100, Sebastian Andrzej Siewior wrote:
>> do_con_write(), fbcon_redraw.*() invoke console_conditional_schedule()
>> which is a conditional scheduling point based on printk's internal
>> variables console_may_schedule. It may only be used if the console lock
>> is acquired for instance via console_lock() or console_trylock().
>>
>> Prinkt sets the internal variable to 1 (and allows to schedule)
>> if the console lock has been acquired via console_lock(). The trylock
>> does not allow it.
>>
>> The console_conditional_schedule() invocation in do_con_write() is
>> invoked shortly before console_unlock().
>> The console_conditional_schedule() invocation in fbcon_redraw.*()
>> original from fbcon_scroll() / vt's con_scroll() which originate from a
>> line feed.
>>
>> In console_unlock() the variable is set to 0 (forbids to schedule) and
>> it tries to schedule while making progress printing. This is brand new
>> compared to when console_conditional_schedule() was added in v2.4.9.11.
>>
>> In v2.6.38-rc3, console_unlock() (started its existence) iterated over
>> all consoles and flushed them with disabled interrupts. A scheduling
>> attempt here was not possible, it relied that a long print scheduled
>> before console_unlock().
>>
>> Since commit 8d91f8b15361d ("printk: do cond_resched() between lines
>> while outputting to consoles"), which appeared in v4.5-rc1,
>> console_unlock() attempts to schedule if it was allowed to schedule
>> while during console_lock(). Each record is idealy one line so after
>> every line feed.
>>
>> This console_conditional_schedule() is also only relevant on
>> PREEMPT_NONE and PREEMPT_VOLUNTARY builds. In other configurations
>> cond_resched() becomes a nop and has no impact.
>>
>> I'm bringing this all up just proof that it is not required anymore. It
>> becomes a problem on a PREEMPT_RT build with debug code enabled because
>> that might_sleep() in cond_resched() remains and triggers a warnings.
>> This is due to
>>
>>   legacy_kthread_func-> console_flush_one_record ->  vt_console_print-> lf
>>     -> con_scroll -> fbcon_scroll
>>
>> and vt_console_print() acquires a spinlock_t which does not allow a
>> voluntary schedule. There is no need to fb_scroll() to schedule since
>> console_flush_one_record() attempts to schedule after each line.
>> !PREEMPT_RT is not affected because the legacy printing thread is only
>> enabled on PREEMPT_RT builds.
>>
>> Therefore I suggest to remove console_conditional_schedule().
>>
>> Cc: Simona Vetter <simona@...ll.ch>
>> Cc: Helge Deller <deller@....de>
>> Cc: linux-fbdev@...r.kernel.org
>> Cc: dri-devel@...ts.freedesktop.org
>> Fixes: 5f53ca3ff83b4 ("printk: Implement legacy printer kthread for PREEMPT_RT")
>> Signed-off-by: Sebastian Andrzej Siewior <bigeasy@...utronix.de>
>> ---
>>
>> A follow-up to
>> 	https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260114145955.d924Z-zu@linutronix.de/
>>
>>   drivers/tty/vt/vt.c              |  1 -
>>   drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbcon.c |  6 ------
>>   include/linux/console.h          |  1 -
>>   kernel/printk/printk.c           | 16 ----------------
>>   4 files changed, 24 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
>> [....]
> 
> No objection from me about removing this if it's not needed anymore!
> 
> Acked-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>

I've added it to the fbdev git tree to get some testing....

Thanks!
Helge