[PATCH] KVM: selftests: Add guest-side test for AMD HWCR.McStatusWrEn

From: Costas Argyris

Date: Thu May 07 2026 - 11:42:55 EST


The existing hwcr_msr_test exercises MSR_K7_HWCR only via KVM_SET_MSRS,
which sets host_initiated=true in KVM. The gate in set_msr_mce() that
calls can_set_mci_status() short-circuits when host_initiated=true, so
can_set_mci_status() is never reached by the existing test.

Add a guest-side test that verifies HWCR.McStatusWrEn (bit 18) correctly
gates non-zero writes to MCi_STATUS MSRs. With the bit set, the write
must succeed and read back unchanged. With the bit clear, the write must
raise #GP and leave the register unmodified.

Signed-off-by: Costas Argyris <costas.argyris@xxxxxxx>
---
.../testing/selftests/kvm/x86/hwcr_msr_test.c | 65 ++++++++++++++++++-
1 file changed, 63 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86/hwcr_msr_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86/hwcr_msr_test.c
index 10b1b0ba374e..4e249bffcbb1 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86/hwcr_msr_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86/hwcr_msr_test.c
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@

#include "test_util.h"
#include "kvm_util.h"
-#include "vmx.h"
+#include "processor.h"

-void test_hwcr_bit(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, unsigned int bit)
+static void test_hwcr_bit(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, unsigned int bit)
{
const uint64_t ignored = BIT_ULL(3) | BIT_ULL(6) | BIT_ULL(8);
const uint64_t valid = BIT_ULL(18) | BIT_ULL(24);
@@ -30,6 +30,61 @@ void test_hwcr_bit(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, unsigned int bit)
vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_K7_HWCR, 0);
}

+/*
+ * AMD-specific: test that HWCR.McStatusWrEn (bit 18) gates guest writes to
+ * MCi_STATUS MSRs. With the bit set, a non-zero write to MC0_STATUS must
+ * succeed and read back unchanged. With the bit clear, the write must take
+ * a #GP.
+ *
+ * This exercises arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:can_set_mci_status(), which is only
+ * reachable via the guest WRMSR path (host_initiated=false); test_hwcr_bit()
+ * uses KVM_SET_MSRS (host_initiated=true) and never triggers it.
+ */
+static void guest_code(void)
+{
+ uint8_t vector;
+ uint64_t val;
+
+ /* McStatusWrEn=1: non-zero write to MCi_STATUS must succeed. */
+ wrmsr(MSR_K7_HWCR, BIT_ULL(18));
+ wrmsr(MSR_IA32_MC0_STATUS, 1);
+ val = rdmsr(MSR_IA32_MC0_STATUS);
+ GUEST_ASSERT_EQ(val, 1);
+
+ /* Clear the status register before disabling the write-enable bit. */
+ wrmsr(MSR_IA32_MC0_STATUS, 0);
+
+ /* McStatusWrEn=0: non-zero write to MCi_STATUS must #GP. */
+ wrmsr(MSR_K7_HWCR, 0);
+ vector = wrmsr_safe(MSR_IA32_MC0_STATUS, 1);
+ GUEST_ASSERT_EQ(vector, GP_VECTOR);
+
+ /* Confirm the failed write left the register at zero. */
+ val = rdmsr(MSR_IA32_MC0_STATUS);
+ GUEST_ASSERT_EQ(val, 0);
+
+ GUEST_DONE();
+}
+
+static void enter_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
+{
+ struct ucall uc;
+
+ while (true) {
+ vcpu_run(vcpu);
+ TEST_ASSERT_KVM_EXIT_REASON(vcpu, KVM_EXIT_IO);
+
+ switch (get_ucall(vcpu, &uc)) {
+ case UCALL_DONE:
+ return;
+ case UCALL_ABORT:
+ REPORT_GUEST_ASSERT(uc);
+ default:
+ TEST_FAIL("Unexpected ucall %lu", uc.cmd);
+ }
+ }
+}
+
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
struct kvm_vm *vm;
@@ -42,4 +97,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
test_hwcr_bit(vcpu, bit);

kvm_vm_free(vm);
+
+ if (host_cpu_is_amd_compatible) {
+ vm = vm_create_with_one_vcpu(&vcpu, guest_code);
+ enter_guest(vcpu);
+ kvm_vm_free(vm);
+ }
}
--
2.43.0