[PATCH] smp: prevent soft lockup in smp_call_function_many_cond

[PATCH] smp: prevent soft lockup in smp_call_function_many_cond

[Mark Tomlinson]

Using the PowerPC P2040 (e500mc) CPU, soft lockups can occasionally be
seen in smp_call_function_many_cond(). The conclusion is that this CPU
does not process the doorbell interrupt while in a data-storage (MMU)
exception. If more than one CPU in a multi core environment is calling
this function at the same time, it is possible for a deadlock to occur.

The fix for this is to call flush_smp_call_function_queue() before
waiting for responses from other CPUs. If there is something in the
queue, this is a good time to process it before busy-waiting on other
CPUs. On other architectures this call will quickly do nothing, as the
queue will be empty.

Signed-off-by: Mark Tomlinson <mark.tomlinson@alliedtelesis.co.nz>
---
 kernel/smp.c | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/kernel/smp.c b/kernel/smp.c
index a0bb56bd8dda..3c4467654ab0 100644
--- a/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/kernel/smp.c
@@ -884,6 +884,8 @@ static void smp_call_function_many_cond(const struct cpumask *mask,
 		local_irq_restore(flags);
 	}
 
+	flush_smp_call_function_queue();
+
 	if (run_remote && wait) {
 		for_each_cpu(cpu, cfd->cpumask) {
 			call_single_data_t *csd;
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [PATCH] smp: prevent soft lockup in smp_call_function_many_cond

[Chris Packham]

(adding others suggested by get_maintainer.pl)

On 27/05/2026 15:16, Mark Tomlinson wrote:
> Using the PowerPC P2040 (e500mc) CPU, soft lockups can occasionally be
> seen in smp_call_function_many_cond(). The conclusion is that this CPU
> does not process the doorbell interrupt while in a data-storage (MMU)
> exception. If more than one CPU in a multi core environment is calling
> this function at the same time, it is possible for a deadlock to occur.
>
> The fix for this is to call flush_smp_call_function_queue() before
> waiting for responses from other CPUs. If there is something in the
> queue, this is a good time to process it before busy-waiting on other
> CPUs. On other architectures this call will quickly do nothing, as the
> queue will be empty.
>
> Signed-off-by: Mark Tomlinson <mark.tomlinson@alliedtelesis.co.nz>
> ---
>   kernel/smp.c | 2 ++
>   1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/kernel/smp.c b/kernel/smp.c
> index a0bb56bd8dda..3c4467654ab0 100644
> --- a/kernel/smp.c
> +++ b/kernel/smp.c
> @@ -884,6 +884,8 @@ static void smp_call_function_many_cond(const struct cpumask *mask,
>   		local_irq_restore(flags);
>   	}
>   
> +	flush_smp_call_function_queue();
> +
>   	if (run_remote && wait) {
>   		for_each_cpu(cpu, cfd->cpumask) {
>   			call_single_data_t *csd;

Re: [PATCH] smp: prevent soft lockup in smp_call_function_many_cond

[Paul E. McKenney]

On Tue, Jun 02, 2026 at 09:18:39PM +0000, Chris Packham wrote:
> (adding others suggested by get_maintainer.pl)
> 
> On 27/05/2026 15:16, Mark Tomlinson wrote:
> > Using the PowerPC P2040 (e500mc) CPU, soft lockups can occasionally be
> > seen in smp_call_function_many_cond(). The conclusion is that this CPU
> > does not process the doorbell interrupt while in a data-storage (MMU)
> > exception. If more than one CPU in a multi core environment is calling
> > this function at the same time, it is possible for a deadlock to occur.
> >
> > The fix for this is to call flush_smp_call_function_queue() before
> > waiting for responses from other CPUs. If there is something in the
> > queue, this is a good time to process it before busy-waiting on other
> > CPUs. On other architectures this call will quickly do nothing, as the
> > queue will be empty.

OK, I will bite...

How do we know that another entry will not get added by some other CPU
just before this new call to flush_smp_call_function_queue()?

							Thanx, Paul

> > Signed-off-by: Mark Tomlinson <mark.tomlinson@alliedtelesis.co.nz>
> > ---
> >   kernel/smp.c | 2 ++
> >   1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
> >
> > diff --git a/kernel/smp.c b/kernel/smp.c
> > index a0bb56bd8dda..3c4467654ab0 100644
> > --- a/kernel/smp.c
> > +++ b/kernel/smp.c
> > @@ -884,6 +884,8 @@ static void smp_call_function_many_cond(const struct cpumask *mask,
> >   		local_irq_restore(flags);
> >   	}
> >   
> > +	flush_smp_call_function_queue();
> > +
> >   	if (run_remote && wait) {
> >   		for_each_cpu(cpu, cfd->cpumask) {
> >   			call_single_data_t *csd;

Re: [PATCH] smp: prevent soft lockup in smp_call_function_many_cond

[Rik van Riel]

On Wed, 2026-05-27 at 15:16 +1200, Mark Tomlinson wrote:
> Using the PowerPC P2040 (e500mc) CPU, soft lockups can occasionally
> be
> seen in smp_call_function_many_cond(). The conclusion is that this
> CPU
> does not process the doorbell interrupt while in a data-storage (MMU)
> exception. If more than one CPU in a multi core environment is
> calling
> this function at the same time, it is possible for a deadlock to
> occur.

Does that mean if the CPU in question does not call
smp_call_function_many_cond() while in a data-storage
exception, the system might still hang?

Not that there's anything wrong with reducing the
frequency of what is (presumably) an already pretty
rare hang.

> 
> The fix for this is to call flush_smp_call_function_queue() before
> waiting for responses from other CPUs. If there is something in the
> queue, this is a good time to process it before busy-waiting on other
> CPUs. On other architectures this call will quickly do nothing, as
> the
> queue will be empty.

Agreed, this does look completely harmless at worst,
and does look like it would at the very least improve
that e500mc issue.

> 
> Signed-off-by: Mark Tomlinson <mark.tomlinson@alliedtelesis.co.nz>
> 
Reviewed-by: Rik van Riel <riel@surriel.com>


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