[RFC PATCH v5 06/45] KVM: x86/mmu: Fold set_external_spte_present() into its sole caller

From: Sean Christopherson

Date: Wed Jan 28 2026 - 20:18:49 EST


Fold set_external_spte_present() into __tdp_mmu_set_spte_atomic() in
anticipation of supporting hugepage splitting, at which point other paths
will also set shadow-present external SPTEs.

No functional change intended.

Signed-off-by: Sean Christopherson <seanjc@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c | 82 +++++++++++++++++---------------------
1 file changed, 36 insertions(+), 46 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
index 56ad056e6042..6fb48b217f5b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
@@ -495,33 +495,6 @@ static void handle_removed_pt(struct kvm *kvm, tdp_ptep_t pt, bool shared)
call_rcu(&sp->rcu_head, tdp_mmu_free_sp_rcu_callback);
}

-static int __must_check set_external_spte_present(struct kvm *kvm, tdp_ptep_t sptep,
- gfn_t gfn, u64 *old_spte,
- u64 new_spte, int level)
-{
- int ret;
-
- lockdep_assert_held(&kvm->mmu_lock);
-
- if (KVM_BUG_ON(is_shadow_present_pte(*old_spte), kvm))
- return -EIO;
-
- /*
- * We need to lock out other updates to the SPTE until the external
- * page table has been modified. Use FROZEN_SPTE similar to
- * the zapping case.
- */
- if (!try_cmpxchg64(rcu_dereference(sptep), old_spte, FROZEN_SPTE))
- return -EBUSY;
-
- ret = kvm_x86_call(set_external_spte)(kvm, gfn, level, new_spte);
- if (ret)
- __kvm_tdp_mmu_write_spte(sptep, *old_spte);
- else
- __kvm_tdp_mmu_write_spte(sptep, new_spte);
- return ret;
-}
-
/**
* handle_changed_spte - handle bookkeeping associated with an SPTE change
* @kvm: kvm instance
@@ -626,6 +599,8 @@ static inline int __must_check __tdp_mmu_set_spte_atomic(struct kvm *kvm,
struct tdp_iter *iter,
u64 new_spte)
{
+ u64 *raw_sptep = rcu_dereference(iter->sptep);
+
/*
* The caller is responsible for ensuring the old SPTE is not a FROZEN
* SPTE. KVM should never attempt to zap or manipulate a FROZEN SPTE,
@@ -638,31 +613,46 @@ static inline int __must_check __tdp_mmu_set_spte_atomic(struct kvm *kvm,
int ret;

/*
- * Users of atomic zapping don't operate on mirror roots,
- * so don't handle it and bug the VM if it's seen.
+ * KVM doesn't currently support zapping or splitting mirror
+ * SPTEs while holding mmu_lock for read.
*/
- if (KVM_BUG_ON(!is_shadow_present_pte(new_spte), kvm))
+ if (KVM_BUG_ON(is_shadow_present_pte(iter->old_spte), kvm) ||
+ KVM_BUG_ON(!is_shadow_present_pte(new_spte), kvm))
return -EBUSY;

- ret = set_external_spte_present(kvm, iter->sptep, iter->gfn,
- &iter->old_spte, new_spte, iter->level);
+ /*
+ * Temporarily freeze the SPTE until the external PTE operation
+ * has completed, e.g. so that concurrent faults don't attempt
+ * to install a child PTE in the external page table before the
+ * parent PTE has been written.
+ */
+ if (!try_cmpxchg64(raw_sptep, &iter->old_spte, FROZEN_SPTE))
+ return -EBUSY;
+
+ /*
+ * Update the external PTE. On success, set the mirror SPTE to
+ * the desired value. On failure, restore the old SPTE so that
+ * the SPTE isn't frozen in perpetuity.
+ */
+ ret = kvm_x86_call(set_external_spte)(kvm, iter->gfn,
+ iter->level, new_spte);
if (ret)
- return ret;
- } else {
- u64 *sptep = rcu_dereference(iter->sptep);
-
- /*
- * Note, fast_pf_fix_direct_spte() can also modify TDP MMU SPTEs
- * and does not hold the mmu_lock. On failure, i.e. if a
- * different logical CPU modified the SPTE, try_cmpxchg64()
- * updates iter->old_spte with the current value, so the caller
- * operates on fresh data, e.g. if it retries
- * tdp_mmu_set_spte_atomic()
- */
- if (!try_cmpxchg64(sptep, &iter->old_spte, new_spte))
- return -EBUSY;
+ __kvm_tdp_mmu_write_spte(iter->sptep, iter->old_spte);
+ else
+ __kvm_tdp_mmu_write_spte(iter->sptep, new_spte);
+ return ret;
}

+ /*
+ * Note, fast_pf_fix_direct_spte() can also modify TDP MMU SPTEs and
+ * does not hold the mmu_lock. On failure, i.e. if a different logical
+ * CPU modified the SPTE, try_cmpxchg64() updates iter->old_spte with
+ * the current value, so the caller operates on fresh data, e.g. if it
+ * retries tdp_mmu_set_spte_atomic()
+ */
+ if (!try_cmpxchg64(raw_sptep, &iter->old_spte, new_spte))
+ return -EBUSY;
+
return 0;
}

--
2.53.0.rc1.217.geba53bf80e-goog