Re: [PATCH v2] mm/vmalloc: clarify why vmap_range_noflush() might sleep

From: Brendan Jackman
Date: Tue Dec 09 2025 - 01:37:49 EST


On Tue Dec 9, 2025 at 5:44 AM UTC, Brendan Jackman wrote:
> The only reason vmap_range_noflush() can sleep is because of pagetable
> allocations.
>
> The actual allocation mechanism is arch-specific so might_alloc()
> doesn't work here (what GFP flags would be used?). Hence, just add a
> comment.
>
> Signed-off-by: Brendan Jackman <jackmanb@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> Changes in v2:
> - Switched from might_alloc() to keeping might_sleep() + comment
> - Link to v1: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20251208-b4-vmalloc-might_alloc-v1-1-94a9bb8ecb08@xxxxxxxxxx
> ---
> mm/vmalloc.c | 1 +
> 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
>
> diff --git a/mm/vmalloc.c b/mm/vmalloc.c
> index a53c7462671bdd896f95712af71398ffbe22fb80..c23d378dd4446e2784505ec3d5bb9568fb0d3c9a 100644
> --- a/mm/vmalloc.c
> +++ b/mm/vmalloc.c
> @@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ static int vmap_range_noflush(unsigned long addr, unsigned long end,
> int err;
> pgtbl_mod_mask mask = 0;
>
> + /* Might allocate pagetables. */

I just realised that for x86, there's also TLB shootdowns in
pud_free_pmd_page() etc. So I guess this is also a might_ for the the
lockdep_assert_irqs_enabled() in smp_call_function_many_cond(). Should
probably mention that too.

Anything else I missed, before I send v3?

> might_sleep();
> BUG_ON(addr >= end);