Re: [PATCH] dt-bindings: arm: sunxi: update H2+/H3 cpu clocks

Wilken Gottwalt
2020-09-14T04:01:23Z

On Wed, 9 Sep 2020 17:53:07 +0200
Maxime Ripard <maxime@cerno.tech> wrote:

> On Wed, Sep 09, 2020 at 03:54:46PM +0200, Wilken Gottwalt wrote:
> > On Wed, 9 Sep 2020 14:08:59 +0200
> > Maxime Ripard <maxime@cerno.tech> wrote:
> > > Hi!
> > >
> > > Thanks for contributing
> > >
> > > The prefix isn't right though.
> > >
> > > dt-bindings is used when you're modifying the binding itself, ie the
> > > description of what the node is supposed to look like, not when you
> > > actually use that node in a DT.
> > >
> > > In that case, that would be ARM: dts: sunxi:
> > >
> > > (we're on the ARM architecture, modifying dts's, for the sunxi platform)
> >
> > Ah, I see, it was my first attempt to contribute and wasn't 100% sure, just
> > took the line from similar patches on the LKML. Thanks for the correction.
> >
> > > On Thu, Sep 03, 2020 at 12:07:08PM +0200, Wilken Gottwalt wrote:
> > > > Change H2+/H3 clocks to 8 steps from 528 MHz up to 1200 MHz to support a
> > > > more fine-grained powersave setup. The SoCs are made for 1296 MHz, so
> > > > these clocks are still in a safe range. Tested on a NanoPi Duo and
> > > > OrangePi Zero.
> > >
> > > How was this tested?
> >
> > This is a longer story. It actually runs on hardware which is in production
> > for about 2-3 years, some use H2+ with full voltage regulators and some are
> > similar to the NanoPi DUO, where the voltage regulator can only switch
> > between 1.1 and 1.3 volts. It runs in two ways: A fully dynamic setup where
> > the ondemand scheduler is used and the second way where it is switched to
> > fixed values (based on load and temperature) using the cpufrequtils. The
> > devices running a 4.14.x kernel and are tested against 4.19.x kernels.
> > These devices are routers running a custom tcp/ip stack and have a high I/O
> > load. I also prepared devices based on a custom H3 design, which ran stable
> > at 1.392 GHz (but had passive coolers attached). Do these explanations
> > help?
>
> To some extent, but not entirely. Depending on the governor / workload,
> some OPPs might never be used at all.

I am aware of this and the devices had 24 hours burnin tests with a selfwritten
tool very similar to your posted cpuburn + scripts. I will try to run your
pointed out tool, but I may need some time for doing so. Getting a ruby
installation into this embedded Linux is not easy and a whole compiler won't
be possible at all. If you are interested I could put our test tool to github.

> > > cpufreq OPP misconfiguration on Allwinner SoCs has been known to create
> > > some errors that are fairly hard to spot and be quite easy to go
> > > unnoticed (like caches corruptions).
> >
> > Yeah, I noticed that in the beginning where I prepared the first kernels
> > for these devices. But after switching to multiples of 48MHz and bigger
> > steps these issues disappeared. I'm aware that this does not proof that
> > these issues do not appear, but thougth I share the values which I
> > consider stable.
>
> The only really reliable test we've had so far is the one I pointed out,
> so please run it on one board at least
>
> > > The only reliable test we have is:
> > > https://github.com/ssvb/cpuburn-arm/blob/master/cpufreq-ljt-stress-test
> > >
> > > > Signed-off-by: Wilken Gottwalt <wilken.gottwalt@mailbox.org>
> > > > ---
> > > > arch/arm/boot/dts/sun8i-h3.dtsi | 34 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
> > > > 1 file changed, 32 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> > > >
> > > > diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/dts/sun8i-h3.dtsi b/arch/arm/boot/dts/sun8i-h3.dtsi
> > > > index 4e89701df91f..5517fcc02b7d 100644
> > > > --- a/arch/arm/boot/dts/sun8i-h3.dtsi
> > > > +++ b/arch/arm/boot/dts/sun8i-h3.dtsi
> > > > @@ -48,23 +48,53 @@ cpu0_opp_table: opp_table0 {
> > > > compatible = "operating-points-v2";
> > > > opp-shared;
> > > >
> > > > - opp-648000000 {
> > > > - opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <648000000>;
> > > > + opp-528000000 {
> > > > + opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <528000000>;
> > > > + opp-microvolt = <1020000 1020000 1300000>;
> > > > + clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > + };
> > > > +
> > > > + opp-624000000 {
> > > > + opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <624000000>;
> > > > opp-microvolt = <1040000 1040000 1300000>;
> > > > clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > };
> > > >
> > > > + opp-720000000 {
> > > > + opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <720000000>;
> > > > + opp-microvolt = <1060000 1060000 1300000>;
> > > > + clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > + };
> > > > +
> > > > opp-816000000 {
> > > > opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <816000000>;
> > > > opp-microvolt = <1100000 1100000 1300000>;
> > > > clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > };
> > > >
> > > > + opp-912000000 {
> > > > + opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <912000000>;
> > > > + opp-microvolt = <1140000 1140000 1300000>;
> > > > + clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > + };
> > > > +
> > > > opp-1008000000 {
> > > > opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <1008000000>;
> > > > opp-microvolt = <1200000 1200000 1300000>;
> > > > clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > };
> > > > +
> > > > + opp-1104000000 {
> > > > + opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <1104000000>;
> > > > + opp-microvolt = <1240000 1240000 1300000>;
> > > > + clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > + };
> > > > +
> > > > + opp-1200000000 {
> > > > + opp-hz = /bits/ 64 <1200000000>;
> > > > + opp-microvolt = <1300000 1300000 1300000>;
> > > > + clock-latency-ns = <244144>; /* 8 32k periods */
> > > > + };
> > > > };
> > >
> > > IIRC U-Boot will start the CPU at 1008 MHz on the H3, so in the
> > > situation where a board doesn't list the regulators attached to the CPU,
> > > the kernel will happily use the 1104 and 1200 MHz frequencies, even
> > > though it won't adjust the voltage accordingly, causing errors.
> >
> > Yeah, I know that. The u-boot running on the mentioned devices also have
> > these modifications, including a higher clocked DRAM (actually running at
> > 624 MHz).
> >
> > > The way we worked around that is to provide the extra OOPs in a separate
> > > DTSI so that the boards with regulator support can opt-in.
> >
> > Oh, did I overlooked something? I was working on 4.14 up to 4.19 kernels
> > and may be a bit to eager to post the modifications.
>
> It's not really my point :)
>
> My point is that since it's in the DTSI, every board using an H2/H3 will
> now get to use those OPPs, even if they don't have the regulator support
> and the voltage set for the highest frequency, so you can end up on
> those boards with the CPU running at 1.2GHz and the voltage associated
> to 1GHz

Yeah, I understand. So the solution would be to drop the two highest OPPs
or make these changes only for the tested devices. What would you prefer?

Will