Re: [PATCH v2] mm/page_isolation: fix a deadlock with printk()

Petr Mladek
2019-10-07T14:30:06Z

On Fri 2019-10-04 18:26:45, Qian Cai wrote:
> It is unsafe to call printk() while zone->lock was held, i.e.,
>
> zone->lock --> console_lock
>
> because the console could always allocate some memory in different code
> paths and form locking chains in an opposite order,
>
> console_lock --> * --> zone->lock
>
> As the result, it triggers lockdep splats like below and in different
> code paths in this thread [1]. Since has_unmovable_pages() was only used
> in set_migratetype_isolate() and is_pageblock_removable_nolock(). Only
> the former will set the REPORT_FAILURE flag which will call printk().
> Hence, unlock the zone->lock just before the dump_page() there where
> when has_unmovable_pages() returns true, there is no need to hold the
> lock anyway in the rest of set_migratetype_isolate().
>
> While at it, remove a problematic printk() in __offline_isolated_pages()
> only for debugging as well which will always disable lockdep on debug
> kernels.
>
> The problem is probably there forever, but neither many developers will
> run memory offline with the lockdep enabled nor admins in the field are
> lucky enough yet to hit a perfect timing which required to trigger a
> real deadlock. In addition, there aren't many places that call printk()
> while zone->lock was held.
>
> WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
> ------------------------------------------------------
> test.sh/1724 is trying to acquire lock:
> 0000000052059ec0 (console_owner){-...}, at: console_unlock+0x
> 01: 328/0xa30
>
> but task is already holding lock:
> 000000006ffd89c8 (&(&zone->lock)->rlock){-.-.}, at: start_iso
> 01: late_page_range+0x216/0x538
>
> which lock already depends on the new lock.
>
> the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:
>
> -> #2 (&(&zone->lock)->rlock){-.-.}:
> lock_acquire+0x21a/0x468
> _raw_spin_lock+0x54/0x68
> get_page_from_freelist+0x8b6/0x2d28
> __alloc_pages_nodemask+0x246/0x658
> __get_free_pages+0x34/0x78
> sclp_init+0x106/0x690
> sclp_register+0x2e/0x248
> sclp_rw_init+0x4a/0x70
> sclp_console_init+0x4a/0x1b8
> console_init+0x2c8/0x410
> start_kernel+0x530/0x6a0
> startup_continue+0x70/0xd0

This code takes locks: sclp_lock --> &(&zone->lock)->rlock

> -> #1 (sclp_lock){-.-.}:
> lock_acquire+0x21a/0x468
> _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0xcc/0xe8
> sclp_add_request+0x34/0x308
> sclp_conbuf_emit+0x100/0x138
> sclp_console_write+0x96/0x3b8
> console_unlock+0x6dc/0xa30
> vprintk_emit+0x184/0x3c8
> vprintk_default+0x44/0x50
> printk+0xa8/0xc0
> iommu_debugfs_setup+0xf2/0x108
> iommu_init+0x6c/0x78
> do_one_initcall+0x162/0x680
> kernel_init_freeable+0x4e8/0x5a8
> kernel_init+0x2a/0x188
> ret_from_fork+0x30/0x34
> kernel_thread_starter+0x0/0xc

This code path takes: console_owner --> sclp_lock

> -> #0 (console_owner){-...}:
> check_noncircular+0x338/0x3e0
> __lock_acquire+0x1e66/0x2d88
> lock_acquire+0x21a/0x468
> console_unlock+0x3a6/0xa30
> vprintk_emit+0x184/0x3c8
> vprintk_default+0x44/0x50
> printk+0xa8/0xc0
> __dump_page+0x1dc/0x710
> dump_page+0x2e/0x58
> has_unmovable_pages+0x2e8/0x470
> start_isolate_page_range+0x404/0x538
> __offline_pages+0x22c/0x1338
> memory_subsys_offline+0xa6/0xe8
> device_offline+0xe6/0x118
> state_store+0xf0/0x110
> kernfs_fop_write+0x1bc/0x270
> vfs_write+0xce/0x220
> ksys_write+0xea/0x190
> system_call+0xd8/0x2b4

And this code path takes: &(&zone->lock)->rlock --> console_owner

> other info that might help us debug this:
>
> Chain exists of:
> console_owner --> sclp_lock --> &(&zone->lock)->rlock

All three code paths together create a cyclic dependency. This
is why lockdep reports a possible deadlock.

I believe that it cannot really happen because:

static int __init
sclp_console_init(void)
{
[...]
rc = sclp_rw_init();
[...]
register_console(&sclp_console);
return 0;
}

sclp_rw_init() is called before register_console(). And
console_unlock() will never call sclp_console_write() before
the console is registered.

AFAIK, lockdep only compares existing chain of locks. It does
not know about console registration that would make some
code paths mutually exclusive.

I believe that it is a false positive. I do not know how to
avoid this lockdep report. I hope that it will disappear
by deferring all printk() calls rather soon.

Best Regards,
Petr