Re: [PATCH] x86/bugs: Only log missing retpoline when it's actually the missing mitigation

[Kim Phillips]

On 8/26/26 11:59 PM, Pawan Gupta wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 26, 2026 at 05:22:28PM -0500, Kim Phillips wrote:
> > +++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
> > @@ -1956,10 +1956,8 @@ early_param("spectre_v2", spectre_v2_parse_cmdline);
> >   
> >   static enum spectre_v2_mitigation __init spectre_v2_select_retpoline(void)
> >   {
> > -	if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_MITIGATION_RETPOLINE)) {
> > -		pr_err("Kernel not compiled with retpoline; no mitigation available!");
>
> The claim "No mitigation available" is really the problem. And, it is
> redundant here because the final mitigation state is anyways printed in
> spectre_v2_update_mitigation().
>
> How about just change the message to:
>
> 	pr_err("Kernel not compiled with retpoline");
>
> It stays accurate here, telling retpoline mitigation was attempted.

Thanks for your review.  I've made these changes and reworded the commit
text and submitted a v2 here:

https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20260831210916.987152-1-kim.phillips@xxxxxxx/

Thanks,

Kim