Re: [PATCH 1/5] Add a global synchronization point for pvclock

Zachary Amsden
2010-04-23T21:31:49Z

On 04/22/2010 11:34 PM, Avi Kivity wrote:
> On 04/23/2010 04:44 AM, Zachary Amsden wrote:
>> Or apply this patch.
>> time-warp.patch
>>
>>
>> diff -rup a/time-warp-test.c b/time-warp-test.c
>> --- a/time-warp-test.c 2010-04-15 16:30:13.955981607 -1000
>> +++ b/time-warp-test.c 2010-04-15 16:35:37.777982377 -1000
>> @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static inline unsigned long long __rdtsc
>> {
>> DECLARE_ARGS(val, low, high);
>>
>> - asm volatile("cpuid; rdtsc" : EAX_EDX_RET(val, low, high));
>> + asm volatile("cpuid; rdtsc" : EAX_EDX_RET(val, low, high) ::
>> "ebx", "ecx");
>>
>
> Plus, replace cpuid by lfence/mfence. cpuid will trap.
>

Does lfence / mfence actually serialize? I thought there was some great
confusion about that not being the case on all AMD processors, and
possibly not at all on Intel.

A trap, however is a great way to serialize.

I think, there is no serializing instruction which can be used from
userspace which does not trap, at least, I don't know one off the top of
my head.

Zach