Re: [Intel-wired-lan] [PATCH iwl-net v4] igc: fix race condition in TX timestamp read for register 0

From: Avigail Dahan

Date: Mon Dec 29 2025 - 09:53:13 EST




On 28/11/2025 12:53, Chwee-Lin Choong wrote:
The current HW bug workaround checks the TXTT_0 ready bit first,
then reads TXSTMPL_0 twice (before and after reading TXSTMPH_0)
to detect whether a new timestamp was captured by timestamp
register 0 during the workaround.

This sequence has a race: if a new timestamp is captured after
checking the TXTT_0 bit but before the first TXSTMPL_0 read, the
detection fails because both the “old” and “new” values come from
the same timestamp.

Fix by reading TXSTMPL_0 first to establish a baseline, then
checking the TXTT_0 bit. This ensures any timestamp captured
during the race window will be detected.

Old sequence:
1. Check TXTT_0 ready bit
2. Read TXSTMPL_0 (baseline)
3. Read TXSTMPH_0 (interrupt workaround)
4. Read TXSTMPL_0 (detect changes vs baseline)

New sequence:
1. Read TXSTMPL_0 (baseline)
2. Check TXTT_0 ready bit
3. Read TXSTMPH_0 (interrupt workaround)
4. Read TXSTMPL_0 (detect changes vs baseline)

Fixes: c789ad7cbebc ("igc: Work around HW bug causing missing timestamps")
Suggested-by: Avi Shalev <avi.shalev@xxxxxxxxx>
Reviewed-by: Aleksandr Loktionov <aleksandr.loktionov@xxxxxxxxx>
Co-developed-by: Song Yoong Siang <yoong.siang.song@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Song Yoong Siang <yoong.siang.song@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Chwee-Lin Choong <chwee.lin.choong@xxxxxxxxx>
---
v1: https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/project/intel-wired-lan/patch/20250918183811.31270-1-chwee.lin.choong@xxxxxxxxx/
v2: https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/project/intel-wired-lan/patch/20251127134927.2133-1-chwee.lin.choong@xxxxxxxxx/
v3: https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/project/intel-wired-lan/patch/20251127151137.2883-1-chwee.lin.choong@xxxxxxxxx/

changelog:
v1 -> v2
- Added detailed comments explaining the hardware bug workaround and race
detection mechanism
v2 -> v3
- Removed extra export file added by mistake
v3 -> v4
- Added co-developer
---
drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_ptp.c | 43 ++++++++++++++----------
1 file changed, 25 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)


Tested-by: Avigail Dahan <avigailx.dahan@xxxxxxxxx>