Re: x86-64 tools fix question

[David Hopwood <david.nospam.hopwood@blueyonder.co.uk>]

Jerone Young wrote:
> In the tools there is a declaration:
> 
> #if defined(__i386__)
> #define rmb() __asm__ __volatile__ ( "lock; addl $0,0(%%esp)" : : :
> "memory" )
> #define wmb() __asm__ __volatile__ ( "" : : : "memory" )
> #else
> #error "Define barriers"
> #endif
> 
> located in:
> 	xcs/xcs.h
> 	tools/python/xen/lowlevel/xu/xu.c
> 	
> 	I'm assuming this has a convenient side-effect that it prevents read
> reordering. Otherwise I can't figure out why this is being done at all.
> Now I'm guessing that that using rsp instead of esp since we are in
> 64bit mode will give the same effect needed.
> 
> #elif defined(__x86_64__)
> #define rmb() __asm__ __volatile__ ( "lock; addl $0,0(%%rsp)" : : :
> "memory" )
> #define wmb() __asm__ __volatile__ ( "" : : : "memory" )
> 
> 	I would like to discuss is this correct, dead wrong, or even needed at
> all?

See volume 1, section 3.9.2 of the AMD64 architecture manual
(http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/DevelopWithAMD/0,,30_2252_875_7044,00.html),
quoted below for convenience.

This should be guaranteed to work:

#define rmb() __asm__ __volatile__ ( "mfence" : : : "memory" )
#define wmb() __asm__ __volatile__ ( "mfence" : : : "memory" )

but may be overkill. Are these macros used in any performance-critical
situations? If not then the overkill wouldn't matter.

# 3.9.2 Forcing Memory Order
#
# Special instructions are provided for application software to force
# memory ordering in situations where such ordering is important. These
# instructions are:
#  * Load Fence -- The LFENCE instruction forces ordering of
#    memory loads (reads). All memory loads preceding the
#    LFENCE (in program order) are completed prior to
#    completing memory loads following the LFENCE. Memory
#    loads cannot be reordered around an LFENCE instruction,
#    but other non-serializing instructions (such as memory
#    writes) can be reordered around the LFENCE.
#  * Store Fence -- The SFENCE instruction forces ordering of
#    memory stores (writes). All memory stores preceding the
#    SFENCE (in program order) are completed prior to
#    completing memory stores following the SFENCE. Memory
#    stores cannot be reordered around an SFENCE instruction,
#    but other non-serializing instructions (such as memory
#    loads) can be reordered around the SFENCE.
#  * Memory Fence -- The MFENCE instruction forces ordering of
#    all memory accesses (reads and writes). All memory accesses
#    preceding the MFENCE (in program order) are completed
#    prior to completing any memory access following the
#    MFENCE. Memory accesses cannot be reordered around an
#    MFENCE instruction, but other non-serializing instructions
#    that do not access memory can be reordered around the
#    MFENCE.

-- 
David Hopwood <david.nospam.hopwood@blueyonder.co.uk>



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