Re: [PATCH 0/2] ptrace: DEBUGCTLMSR_BTF fixes

[Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>]

Hi.

Today I noticed by accident that starting from Aug 4 (at least)
all my emails went to nowhere. I am resending some of them...

On 08/06, Sebastian Andrzej Siewior wrote:
>
> On 08/03/2012 06:29 PM, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
>
>> Assuming this series passes the review of course. And it would
>> be really nice if someone reviews 2/2, I am not confident that
>> I fully understand this DEBUGCTLMSR_BTF magic.
>
> Here is how the processor disables the BTF:
>
> | The processor clears the BTF flag when it generates a debug
> | exception. The debugger must set the BTF flag before resuming program
> | execution to continue single-stepping on branches.
>
> This was a quote from "253668-039US, May 2011" page 16-17.

OK, thanks,

> So I think __switch_to_extra() should set the bit before putting the
> task on the CPU.

Why?

> If this bit is enabled on the wrong CPU then in will
> remain set forever if single steeping has not been / will not be
> enabled.

I don't follow, could you explain in details?

Just in case, X86_EFLAGS_TF sits in task_pt_regs(next), it has no
effect until the task returns to usermode. We only need to ensure
DEBUGCTLMSR_BTF was set/cleared correctly when it actually returns.

Oleg.