Re: [patch] SMP races in the timer code, timer-fix-2.6.0-test7-A0

From: Ingo Molnar (mingo_at_elte.hu)
Date: 10/11/03

  • Next message: David Brownell: "Re: USB and DMA on Alpha with 2.6.0-test7" 
    Date:	Sat, 11 Oct 2003 17:49:07 +0200 (CEST)
To: Manfred Spraul <manfred@colorfullife.com>

    On Sat, 11 Oct 2003, Manfred Spraul wrote:

    > What about moving the "timer running" information into the timer_list,
    > instead of keeping it in the base? For example base=0 means neither
    > running nor pending. base=1 means running, but not pending, and pointers
    > mean pending on the given base.
    >
    > This would allow an atomic test without the brute force locking.

    it's not so simple. Firstly, it would burden some of the other timer
    codepaths with extra logic. (mod/add/del_timer) Secondly, the use of
    timer->base is closely controlled, and it's not that simple to clear the
    value of '1' from timer->base after the timer has run. [this could race
    with any other CPU.]

    it would be much cleaner to add another timer->running field, especially
    since this would be the 8th word-sized field in struct timer_list, making
    it a nice round structure size.

    btw., there's a third type of timer race we have. If a timer function is
    delayed by more than 1 timer tick [which could happen under eg. UML], then
    it's possible for the timer function to run on another CPU in parallel to
    the already executing timer function.

            Ingo
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  • Next message: David Brownell: "Re: USB and DMA on Alpha with 2.6.0-test7"

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