Re: [PATCH v7 1/4] x86/msr: Add MSR(140H) and PHIR3MWAIT bit to msr-info.h

From: Thomas Gleixner
Date: Sun Oct 30 2016 - 21:18:23 EST


On Fri, 28 Oct 2016, Grzegorz Andrejczuk wrote:

> Subject: x86/msr: Add MSR(140H) and PHIR3MWAIT bit to msr-info.h

What kind of information is this: MSR(140h)? None at all. That MSR has a
name. So why not using it?

x86/msr: Add MSR_MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES and PHIR3MWAIT bit

Hmm? You might have noticed that I removed the 'to msr-info.h' part. I did
this because it's useless information. We can see that from the patch.

> Intel Xeon Phi x200 (codenamed Knights Landing) has MSR
> MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES 0x140.

And that tells us what?

> Setting 2nd bit of this register makes MONITOR and MWAIT instructions
> do not cause invalid-opcode exception when called from ring different
> than 0.

Can you please be a bit more careful with your changelogs? I give you an
example for a proper one:

Intel Xeon Phi x200 (codenamed Knights Landing) allows to enable MONITOR
and MWAIT instructions outside of ring 0.

The feature is controlled by MSR MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES (0x144). Setting
bit 0 of this register enables it, so MONITOR and MWAIT instructions do
not cause invalid-opcode exceptions when invoked outside of ring 0.

The feature MSR is not yet documented in the SDM. Here is the relevant
documentation:

Can you spot the difference?

Hint: Copy and paste are dangerous

> --- a/arch/x86/include/asm/msr-index.h
> +++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/msr-index.h
> @@ -540,6 +540,11 @@
> #define MSR_IA32_MISC_ENABLE_IP_PREF_DISABLE_BIT 39
> #define MSR_IA32_MISC_ENABLE_IP_PREF_DISABLE (1ULL << MSR_IA32_MISC_ENABLE_IP_PREF_DISABLE_BIT)
>
> +/* Intel Xeon Phi x200 ring 3 MONITOR/MWAIT */
> +#define MSR_MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES 0x00000140
> +#define MSR_MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES_PHIR3MWAIT_BIT 1
> +#define MSR_MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES_PHIR3MWAIT (1ULL << MSR_MISC_FEATURE_ENABLES_PHIR3MWAIT_BIT)
> +

See comment on patch 4/4 why this bit mask is not required.

Thanks,

tglx