Re: [PATCHv3] VMX: Enhance invalid guest state emulation

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On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM, Marcelo Tosatti<mtosatti@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 01, 2009 at 03:08:55PM +0200, Mohammed Gamal wrote:
>> On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 2:18 PM, Marcelo Tosatti<mtosatti@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> > On Tue, Sep 01, 2009 at 02:14:17PM +0200, Mohammed Gamal wrote:
>> >> On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 1:48 PM, Marcelo Tosatti<mtosatti@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >> > On Tue, Sep 01, 2009 at 12:48:18PM +0200, Mohammed Gamal wrote:
>> >> >> - Change returned handle_invalid_guest_state() to return relevant exit codes
>> >> >> - Move triggering the emulation from vmx_vcpu_run() to vmx_handle_exit()
>> >> >> - Return to userspace instead of repeatedly trying to emulate instructions that have already failed
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Signed-off-by: Mohammed Gamal <m.gamal005@xxxxxxxxx>
>> >> >
>> >> > Mohammed,
>> >> >
>> >> > The handle_invalid_guest_state loop is potentially problematic. It would
>> >> > be more appropriate to use the __vcpu_run loop.
>> >> >
>> >> > Can't you set vmx->emulation_required depending on the result
>> >> > of one call to emulate_instruction and get rid of the while
>> >> > (!guest_state_valid(vcpu)) loop?
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> Invalid state emulation is VMX-specfic, while the __vcpu_run loop is
>> >> independent of the virtualization extension (defined in x86.c), no?
>> >> AMD SVM can comforably run hosts in big-real mode and thus it doesn't
>> >> have the notion of a guest going to an invalid state because of mode
>> >> switching, so I don't think it'd be a good idea to move emulation into
>> >> a generic layer. Please correct me if I am wrong
>> >
>> > Right. But all i am asking is to emulate one instruction at a
>> > time in handle_invalid_guest_state, instead of looping until
>> > guest_state_valid(vcpu).
>> >
>> > So you get rid of schedule(), the check for signal_pending, etc.
>>
>> But we'll still need to enter the guest when it's in a valid state, so
>> we need to move that loop somewhere,
>
> Sure, just set vmx->emulation_required = guest_state_valid(vcpu). When
> the state is good, the entry handler will vmentry.
>
>> and now that we still have a loop
>> we'll also still need to do the pending signals and scheduling checks,
>> no?
>
> Point is you can use the __vcpu_run loop.
>
> In the latest patch you do:
>
> +       /* Don't enter VMX if guest state is invalid, let the exit handler
> +          start emulation until we arrive back to a valid state */
> +       if (vmx->emulation_required && emulate_invalid_guest_state)
>                return;
>
> And then emulate in the exit handler.
>
>> I'd appreciate any suggestions you have to alleviate this.
>
> I fail to see why you need an internal loop if you can use the external
> (__vcpu_run) one.

Because it's not just used by VMX. So I don't think it'd be wise to
use it for something that's VMX-specific.
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