Re: [PATCHv8 04/17] x86/cpu: Defer CR pinning setup until after EFI initialization

Sohil Mehta
2025-07-01T19:03:29Z

On 7/1/2025 2:58 AM, Kirill A. Shutemov wrote:
> From: Alexander Shishkin <alexander.shishkin@linux.intel.com>
>
> In order to map the EFI runtime services, set_virtual_address_map()
> needs to be called, which resides in the lower half of the address
> space. This means that LASS needs to be temporarily disabled around
> this call. This can only be done before the CR pinning is set up.
>
> Move CR pinning setup behind the EFI initialization.
>
> Wrapping efi_enter_virtual_mode() into lass_disable/enable_enforcement()

I believe this should be lass_stac()/clac() since we reverted to the
original naming.

> is not enough because AC flag gates data accesses, but not instruction
> fetch. Clearing the CR4 bit is required.
>
> Signed-off-by: Alexander Shishkin <alexander.shishkin@linux.intel.com>
> Suggested-by: Kirill A. Shutemov <kirill.shutemov@linux.intel.com>
> Signed-off-by: Kirill A. Shutemov <kirill.shutemov@linux.intel.com>
> ---
> arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c | 5 ++++-
> 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c
> index 4f430be285de..9918121e0adc 100644
> --- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c
> +++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c
> @@ -2081,7 +2081,6 @@ static __init void identify_boot_cpu(void)
> enable_sep_cpu();
> #endif
> cpu_detect_tlb(&boot_cpu_data);
> - setup_cr_pinning();
>
> tsx_init();
> tdx_init();
> @@ -2532,10 +2531,14 @@ void __init arch_cpu_finalize_init(void)
>
> /*
> * This needs to follow the FPU initializtion, since EFI depends on it.
> + *
> + * EFI twiddles CR4.LASS. Do it before CR pinning.
> */
> if (efi_enabled(EFI_RUNTIME_SERVICES))
> efi_enter_virtual_mode();
>
> + setup_cr_pinning();
> +

Instead of EFI toggling CR4.LASS, why not defer the first LASS
activation itself?

i.e.

if (efi_enabled(EFI_RUNTIME_SERVICES))
efi_enter_virtual_mode();

setup_lass();

setup_cr_pinning();

This way, we can avoid the following patch (#5) altogether.