[PATCH RFC v2 1/7] mm: memory_failure: Clarify the MF_DELAYED definition

Lisa Wang
2026-03-19T23:30:56Z

This patch clarifies the definition of MF_DELAYED to represent cases
where a folio's removal is initiated but not immediately completed
(e.g., due to remaining metadata references).

Signed-off-by: Lisa Wang <wyihan@google.com>
---
mm/memory-failure.c | 7 ++++---
1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/mm/memory-failure.c b/mm/memory-failure.c
index ee42d4361309..4f143334d5a1 100644
--- a/mm/memory-failure.c
+++ b/mm/memory-failure.c
@@ -862,9 +862,10 @@ static int kill_accessing_process(struct task_struct *p, unsigned long pfn,
* by the m-f() handler immediately.
*
* MF_DELAYED - The m-f() handler marks the page as PG_hwpoisoned'ed.
- * The page is unmapped, and is removed from the LRU or file mapping.
- * An attempt to access the page again will trigger page fault and the
- * PF handler will kill the process.
+ * It means the page was partially isolated (e.g. removed from file mapping
+ * or the LRU) but full cleanup is deferred (e.g. the metadata for the
+ * memory, as in struct page/folio, is still referenced). Any further
+ * access to the page will result in the process being killed.
*
* MF_RECOVERED - The m-f() handler marks the page as PG_hwpoisoned'ed.
* The page has been completely isolated, that is, unmapped, taken out of

--
2.53.0.959.g497ff81fa9-goog