[PATCH v1 34/41] perf pmu: Probe user and interrupt sample register masks

From: Ian Rogers

Date: Tue Nov 03 2026 - 18:53:28 EST


Extend perf_pmu__probe() with probe_pmu_regs_one() to probe supported
register sampling masks for PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER and
PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR when supported by the PMU.

Test the architecture's base general-purpose register mask as a batch
before falling back to per-register probing if needed, and on hardware
PMUs also probe extended GPRs (such as x86 APX R16-R31 and CET SSP) and
SIMD vector/predicate register classes via PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD.

Signed-off-by: Ian Rogers <irogers@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/perf/util/pmu.c | 249 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
tools/perf/util/pmu.h | 28 +++++
2 files changed, 277 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
index 3585147c5242..9179231aa7d5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
@@ -3386,6 +3386,237 @@ static void probe_sample_types(struct perf_pmu *pmu,
pmu->probed.can_weight = !!(pmu->probed.sample_types & PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT);
}

+/*
+ * Probe supported general-purpose, extended GPR, and SIMD vector/predicate
+ * register sampling masks for either PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER (!@intr) or
+ * PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR (@intr).
+ */
+static void probe_pmu_regs_one(const struct perf_pmu *pmu,
+ const struct perf_event_attr *base_attr,
+ pid_t pid, int cpu, unsigned long flags,
+ int max_precise, bool intr,
+ u64 *out_mask, int *out_abi,
+ u64 *out_simd_mask, u64 *out_pred_mask)
+{
+ int dummy_abi = -1;
+ u64 gpr_mask = intr ? perf_intr_reg_mask(EM_HOST, &dummy_abi) :
+ perf_user_reg_mask(EM_HOST, &dummy_abi);
+ u64 sample_type = intr ? PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR : PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER;
+ u64 mask = 0;
+ int abi = 0;
+ struct perf_event_attr attr = *base_attr;
+ int fd;
+
+ attr.disabled = 1;
+ attr.sample_period = base_attr->sample_period ?: 10000;
+ attr.sample_type = sample_type;
+
+ if (gpr_mask) {
+ if (intr)
+ attr.sample_regs_intr = gpr_mask;
+ else
+ attr.sample_regs_user = gpr_mask;
+
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ mask |= gpr_mask;
+ } else {
+ for (int b = 0; b < 64; b++) {
+ if (!(gpr_mask & BIT_ULL(b)))
+ continue;
+ if (intr)
+ attr.sample_regs_intr = BIT_ULL(b);
+ else
+ attr.sample_regs_user = BIT_ULL(b);
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ mask |= BIT_ULL(b);
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ }
+
+ if (perf_pmu__is_software(pmu)) {
+ *out_mask = mask;
+ *out_abi = abi;
+ return;
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * Probe extended GPRs outside the base GPR mask when the host ABI
+ * supports PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD (e.g. APX R16-R31 and CET SSP).
+ * Note: perf_pmu__probe() actively probes the running host kernel via
+ * perf_event_open(), so EM_HOST is used intentionally here.
+ */
+ {
+ int host_abi = 0;
+ u64 host_mask = intr ? perf_intr_reg_mask(EM_HOST, &host_abi) :
+ perf_user_reg_mask(EM_HOST, &host_abi);
+ u64 ext_gpr_mask = host_mask & ~gpr_mask;
+
+ if ((host_abi & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD) && ext_gpr_mask) {
+ struct perf_event_attr e_attr = *base_attr;
+ bool ext_batch_ok = false;
+
+ e_attr.size = sizeof(e_attr);
+ e_attr.disabled = 1;
+ e_attr.sample_period = base_attr->sample_period ?: 10000;
+ e_attr.sample_type = sample_type;
+ e_attr.sample_simd_regs_enabled = 1;
+ if (intr)
+ e_attr.sample_regs_intr = ext_gpr_mask;
+ else
+ e_attr.sample_regs_user = ext_gpr_mask;
+
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&e_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd < 0 && intr && max_precise > 0) {
+ e_attr.precise_ip = 1;
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&e_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ }
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ mask |= ext_gpr_mask;
+ abi |= PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD;
+ ext_batch_ok = true;
+ }
+
+ if (!ext_batch_ok) {
+ for (int b = 0; b < 64; b++) {
+ if (!(ext_gpr_mask & BIT_ULL(b)))
+ continue;
+ e_attr.precise_ip = base_attr->precise_ip;
+ if (intr)
+ e_attr.sample_regs_intr = BIT_ULL(b);
+ else
+ e_attr.sample_regs_user = BIT_ULL(b);
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&e_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd < 0 && intr && max_precise > 0) {
+ e_attr.precise_ip = 1;
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&e_attr, pid, cpu, -1,
+ flags);
+ }
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ mask |= BIT_ULL(b);
+ abi |= PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD;
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ }
+
+ for (int is_pred = 0; is_pred <= 1; is_pred++) {
+ bool pred = is_pred != 0;
+ u64 class_mask = intr ?
+ perf_intr_simd_reg_class_mask(EM_HOST, pred) :
+ perf_user_simd_reg_class_mask(EM_HOST, pred);
+ u64 supported_classes = 0;
+
+ for (int reg_c = 0; reg_c < 64; reg_c++) {
+ struct perf_event_attr s_attr = *base_attr;
+ u16 qwords = 0;
+ u64 bitmap;
+
+ if (!(class_mask & BIT_ULL(reg_c)))
+ continue;
+ bitmap = intr ?
+ perf_intr_simd_reg_class_bitmap_qwords(EM_HOST, reg_c,
+ &qwords, pred) :
+ perf_user_simd_reg_class_bitmap_qwords(EM_HOST, reg_c,
+ &qwords, pred);
+ if (!bitmap || !qwords)
+ continue;
+
+ s_attr.size = sizeof(s_attr);
+ s_attr.disabled = 1;
+ s_attr.sample_period = base_attr->sample_period ?: 10000;
+ s_attr.sample_type = sample_type;
+ s_attr.sample_simd_regs_enabled = 1;
+ if (pred) {
+ s_attr.sample_simd_pred_reg_qwords = qwords;
+ if (intr)
+ s_attr.sample_simd_pred_reg_intr = bitmap;
+ else
+ s_attr.sample_simd_pred_reg_user = bitmap;
+ } else {
+ s_attr.sample_simd_vec_reg_qwords = qwords;
+ if (intr)
+ s_attr.sample_simd_vec_reg_intr = bitmap;
+ else
+ s_attr.sample_simd_vec_reg_user = bitmap;
+ }
+
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&s_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd < 0 && intr && max_precise > 0) {
+ s_attr.precise_ip = 1;
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&s_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ }
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ supported_classes |= BIT_ULL(reg_c);
+ abi |= PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD;
+ }
+ }
+
+ if (pred)
+ *out_pred_mask = supported_classes;
+ else
+ *out_simd_mask = supported_classes;
+ }
+
+ if (!(abi & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_SIMD)) {
+ u64 ext_mask = GENMASK_ULL(63, 32) & ~gpr_mask;
+ struct perf_event_attr x_attr = *base_attr;
+ bool batch_ok = false;
+
+ x_attr.disabled = 1;
+ x_attr.sample_period = base_attr->sample_period ?: 10000;
+ x_attr.sample_type = sample_type;
+ if (intr && max_precise > 0)
+ x_attr.precise_ip = 1;
+
+ if (ext_mask) {
+ if (intr)
+ x_attr.sample_regs_intr = ext_mask;
+ else
+ x_attr.sample_regs_user = ext_mask;
+
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&x_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ mask |= ext_mask;
+ batch_ok = true;
+ }
+ }
+
+ if (!batch_ok) {
+ for (int b = 0; b < 64; b++) {
+ const char *rname;
+
+ if (gpr_mask & BIT_ULL(b))
+ continue;
+ rname = perf_reg_name(b, EM_HOST, EF_HOST, 0);
+ if (!rname || !strcmp(rname, "unknown"))
+ continue;
+ if (intr)
+ x_attr.sample_regs_intr = BIT_ULL(b);
+ else
+ x_attr.sample_regs_user = BIT_ULL(b);
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&x_attr, pid, cpu, -1, flags);
+ if (fd >= 0) {
+ close(fd);
+ mask |= BIT_ULL(b);
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ }
+
+ *out_mask = mask;
+ *out_abi = abi;
+}
+
/*
* Pack @value into the perf_event_attr config field named by the sysfs format
* @name of @pmu, e.g. "rdpmc" defined as "config1:1". Returns false if the
@@ -3762,6 +3993,24 @@ static void __perf_pmu__probe(struct perf_pmu *pmu, int pmu_cpu)
}
}

+ /* 3b. User and interrupt register sampling masks */
+ if (pmu->probed.sample_types & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER) {
+ probe_pmu_regs_one(pmu, &base_attr, pid, cpu, flags,
+ pmu->probed.max_precise, /*intr=*/false,
+ &pmu->probed.user_regs_mask,
+ &pmu->probed.user_regs_abi,
+ &pmu->probed.user_simd_mask,
+ &pmu->probed.user_pred_mask);
+ }
+ if (pmu->probed.sample_types & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR) {
+ probe_pmu_regs_one(pmu, &base_attr, pid, cpu, flags,
+ pmu->probed.max_precise, /*intr=*/true,
+ &pmu->probed.intr_regs_mask,
+ &pmu->probed.intr_regs_abi,
+ &pmu->probed.intr_simd_mask,
+ &pmu->probed.intr_pred_mask);
+ }
+
/* 4. Privilege / exclusion modifiers */
pmu->probed.exclude_user =
test_exclude_flag(&base_attr, pid, cpu, flags, PROBE_EXCLUDE_USER);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.h b/tools/perf/util/pmu.h
index cacb8bc5198b..66ee3841872a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.h
@@ -300,11 +300,39 @@ struct perf_pmu {
* in a group counted simultaneously, without multiplexing.
*/
int max_gp_group_size;
+ /** @probed.user_regs_abi: ABI flags for user_regs_mask. */
+ int user_regs_abi;
+ /** @probed.intr_regs_abi: ABI flags for intr_regs_mask. */
+ int intr_regs_abi;
/**
* @probed.sample_types: Bitmask of supported
* enum perf_event_sample_format flags.
*/
u64 sample_types;
+ /** @probed.user_regs_mask: Bitmask of supported sample_regs_user registers. */
+ u64 user_regs_mask;
+ /** @probed.intr_regs_mask: Bitmask of supported sample_regs_intr registers. */
+ u64 intr_regs_mask;
+ /**
+ * @probed.user_simd_mask: Bitmask of supported user SIMD vector
+ * register classes.
+ */
+ u64 user_simd_mask;
+ /**
+ * @probed.user_pred_mask: Bitmask of supported user SIMD predicate
+ * register classes.
+ */
+ u64 user_pred_mask;
+ /**
+ * @probed.intr_simd_mask: Bitmask of supported intr SIMD vector
+ * register classes.
+ */
+ u64 intr_simd_mask;
+ /**
+ * @probed.intr_pred_mask: Bitmask of supported intr SIMD predicate
+ * register classes.
+ */
+ u64 intr_pred_mask;
} probed;
};

--
2.56.0.385.gac671c819a-goog