[PATCH] lockdep/timers: Explain in detail the locking problemsdel_timer_sync() may cause

[Steven Rostedt]

Twice I had to explain the output about why lockdep gives an error with
locks in IRQ context and with del_timer_sync(). Might as well write it
up and place it in the comments above the code in del_timer_sync().
Perhaps the next time this lockdep dump triggers people will understand
the issues.

It is a ticky issue and very subtle, explaining it in detail in the code
may help others understand the issue when they stumble upon the bug
again.

Signed-off-by: Steven Rostedt <rostedt@xxxxxxxxxxx>

diff --git a/kernel/timer.c b/kernel/timer.c
index d53ce66..d748321 100644
--- a/kernel/timer.c
+++ b/kernel/timer.c
@@ -964,6 +964,25 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(try_to_del_timer_sync);
  * add_timer_on(). Upon exit the timer is not queued and the handler is
  * not running on any CPU.
  *
+ * Note: You must not hold locks that are held in interrupt context
+ *   while calling this function. Even if the lock has nothing to do
+ *   with the timer in question.  Here's why:
+ *
+ *    CPU0                             CPU1
+ *    ----                             ----
+ *                                   <SOFTIRQ>
+ *                                   call_timer_fn();
+ *                                     base->running_timer = mytimer;
+ *  spin_lock_irq(somelock);
+ *                                     <IRQ>
+ *                                        spin_lock(somelock);
+ *  del_timer_sync(mytimer);
+ *   while (base->running_timer == mytimer);
+ *
+ * Now del_timer_sync() will never return and never release somelock.
+ * The interrupt on the other CPU is waiting to grab somelock but
+ * it has interrupted the softirq that CPU0 is waiting to finish.
+ *
  * The function returns whether it has deactivated a pending timer or not.
  */
 int del_timer_sync(struct timer_list *timer)
@@ -971,6 +990,10 @@ int del_timer_sync(struct timer_list *timer)
 #ifdef CONFIG_LOCKDEP
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	/*
+	 * If lockdep gives a backtrace here, please reference
+	 * the synchronization rules above.
+	 */
 	raw_local_irq_save(flags);
 	local_bh_disable();
 	lock_map_acquire(&timer->lockdep_map);


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