Re: [PATCH v2 6/7] efi: runtime-wrapper: get rid of the rtc_lock spinlock

[Matt Fleming <matt-mF/unelCI9GS6iBeEJttW/XRex20P6io@public.gmane.org>]

On Tue, 01 Dec, at 11:50:19AM, Ard Biesheuvel wrote:
> The rtc_lock spinlock aims to serialize access to the CMOS RTC between
> the UEFI firmware and the kernel drivers that use it directly. However,
> x86 is the only arch that performs such direct accesses, and that never
> uses the time related UEFI runtime services. Since no other UEFI enlightened
> architectures have a legcay CMOS RTC anyway, we can remove the rtc_lock
> spinlock entirely.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Ard Biesheuvel <ard.biesheuvel-QSEj5FYQhm4dnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org>
> ---
>  drivers/firmware/efi/runtime-wrappers.c | 32 +++++---------------
>  1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 24 deletions(-)

Is this really true? It's not possible, for instance, for 32-bit ARM
systems to use the rtc-cmos driver which would access the same
physical device that UEFI would with the GetTime() service?

With the pending 32-bit ARM UEFI support coming, this needs to be
considered carefully.