Re: [PATCH 1/5] KVM: x86: avoid atomic operations on APICv vmentry

From: Paolo Bonzini
Date: Fri Oct 14 2016 - 14:56:51 EST


> > diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/lapic.c b/arch/x86/kvm/lapic.c
> > index 23b99f305382..63a442aefc12 100644
> > --- a/arch/x86/kvm/lapic.c
> > +++ b/arch/x86/kvm/lapic.c
> > @@ -342,9 +342,11 @@ void __kvm_apic_update_irr(u32 *pir, void *regs)
> > u32 i, pir_val;
> >
> > for (i = 0; i <= 7; i++) {
> > - pir_val = xchg(&pir[i], 0);
> > - if (pir_val)
> > + pir_val = READ_ONCE(pir[i]);
>
> Out of curiosity, do you really need this READ_ONCE?

The answer can only be "depends on the compiler's whims". :)
If you think of READ_ONCE as a C11 relaxed atomic load, then yes.

Paolo