Re: [PATCH 2.6.27-rc5] Fix itimer/many thread hang.

On 09/09, Roland McGrath wrote:

As for this particular function, it seems to me that ->signal == NULL
is not possible, no?

The concern is to make sure that the timer tick path is always safe for a
tick that hits during release_task(current) in exit_notify(). A timer tick
there can come with current->signal == NULL. We just need to make sure one
way or another that this is safe.

run_posix_cpu_timers() must check ->signal != NULL anyway. (The same for
other functions like account_group_user_time() which are called by the
timer tick).

Apart from the timer tick, "current" should not use this function after
exit_notify().

And, if tsk != current, ->signal must be pinned, this means it can't be NULL.


Perhaps I missed something, but imho this check is confusing and misleading.
However, this is just a minor detail even if I am right.

Oleg.

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