Re: [PATCH v13 7/7] x86/crash: add x86 crash hotplug support

Eric DeVolder
2022-11-02T18:57:53Z

On 11/2/22 13:49, Borislav Petkov wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 02, 2022 at 11:54:08AM -0500, Eric DeVolder wrote:
>> Technically the answer is no; cpu hotplug events are independent of memory
>> hotplug events, but both are written into the elfcorehdr, so in reality
>> yes... The elfcorehdr contains a single list of Phdrs describing CPUs and
>> crash memory ranges; the entire list is re-written on a hotplug change.
>
> Then technically also yes. Otherwise your crash information will contain
> wrong CPU numbers.
>
> How has that not been a problem until now...?
>
> I.e., offline a bunch of CPUs and then cause a crash dump.
>
> Hmm.
>

There is a solution for updating the elfcorehdr today, for when say a bunch of CPUs are offlined. It
is done via userspace udev rules to do a unload-then-reload of the entire crash kernel system
(kernel, initrd, purgatory, boot_params, and of course elfcorehdr). This performs extremely poorly
in highly dynamic hotplug situations (such as when adding alot of memory to a vm), and thus the
attempt at this solution.

But I sense I missing your point?

Thanks!
eric