[RFC][PATCH 0/2]efi_pstore: Avoid missing panic message in NVRAM

[RFC][PATCH 0/2]efi_pstore: Avoid missing panic message in NVRAM

[Seiji Aguchi]

[Problem]
Current efi_pstore simply overwrites existing entries in NVRAM.
So, if 2nd panic happens before a user checks 1st panic message, 1st panic message will be lost.

[Solution]
To avoid missing 1st panic message, this patch introduce a rule checking if existing entries in NRAM are erasable to efi_pstore.
 
[Patch Descriptions]
 
 [PATCH 1/2] Duplicate a shared code between write and erase callbacks  
 
  Currently, efi_pstore driver shares a code erasing existing entries in NVRAM with write and erase callbacks.
  But there some cases we should avoid erasing existing entries in write callback. (Please see PATCH 2/2).
  This patch duplicates the code so that write and erase callbacks work independently. 
 
 
 [PATCH 2/2] write callback: Check if existing entry is erasable
 
  this patch introduce a rule checking if existing entries in NRAM are erasable to efi_pstore.
  With this patch, if previous event is panic, efi_pstore never overwrite it.

 
  drivers/firmware/efivars.c |   94 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
  fs/pstore/platform.c       |    4 +-
  include/linux/pstore.h     |    5 ++
  3 files changed, 99 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
 
 Seiji

Re: [RFC][PATCH 0/2]efi_pstore: Avoid missing panic message in NVRAM

[Don Zickus]

On Tue, Jul 03, 2012 at 11:33:57PM +0000, Seiji Aguchi wrote:
> [Problem]
> Current efi_pstore simply overwrites existing entries in NVRAM.
> So, if 2nd panic happens before a user checks 1st panic message, 1st panic message will be lost.

I thought the rule was entries do not get overwritten until they are
deleted first.  Perhaps that is just an APEI thing, but it seems like that
should be a good rule for EFI too.

Mainly because there is very little userspace apps that actually clear the
old error records.  So this could become a common problem.

Unless we are implementing a flight recorder option which explicitly
states overwrite older entries?

Cheers,
Don

> 
> [Solution]
> To avoid missing 1st panic message, this patch introduce a rule checking if existing entries in NRAM are erasable to efi_pstore.
>  
> [Patch Descriptions]
>  
>  [PATCH 1/2] Duplicate a shared code between write and erase callbacks  
>  
>   Currently, efi_pstore driver shares a code erasing existing entries in NVRAM with write and erase callbacks.
>   But there some cases we should avoid erasing existing entries in write callback. (Please see PATCH 2/2).
>   This patch duplicates the code so that write and erase callbacks work independently. 
>  
>  
>  [PATCH 2/2] write callback: Check if existing entry is erasable
>  
>   this patch introduce a rule checking if existing entries in NRAM are erasable to efi_pstore.
>   With this patch, if previous event is panic, efi_pstore never overwrite it.
> 
>  
>   drivers/firmware/efivars.c |   94 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
>   fs/pstore/platform.c       |    4 +-
>   include/linux/pstore.h     |    5 ++
>   3 files changed, 99 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
>  
>  Seiji