On 07/20/2010 02:18 PM, Dave Hansen wrote: > On Mon, 2010-07-19 at 22:55 -0500, Nathan Fontenot wrote: >> +static int add_memory_section(int nid, struct mem_section *section, >> + unsigned long state, enum mem_add_context context) >> +{ >> + struct memory_block *mem; >> + int ret = 0; >> + >> + mem = find_memory_block(section); >> + if (mem) { >> + atomic_inc(&mem->section_count); >> + kobject_put(&mem->sysdev.kobj); >> + } else >> + ret = init_memory_block(&mem, section, state); >> + >> if (!ret) { >> - if (context == HOTPLUG) >> + if (context == HOTPLUG && >> + atomic_read(&mem->section_count) == sections_per_block) >> ret = register_mem_sect_under_node(mem, nid); >> } > > I think the atomic_inc() can race with the atomic_dec_and_test() in > remove_memory_block(). > > Thread 1 does: > > mem = find_memory_block(section); > > Thread 2 does > > atomic_dec_and_test(&mem->section_count); > > and destroys the memory block, Thread 1 runs again: > > if (mem) { > atomic_inc(&mem->section_count); > kobject_put(&mem->sysdev.kobj); > } else > > but now mem got destroyed by Thread 2. You probably need to change > find_memory_block() to itself take a reference, and to use > atomic_inc_unless(). > You're right but I think the fix you suggested will narrow the window for the race condition, not eliminate it. We could still take a time splice in find_memory_block prior to the container_of() calls to get the memory block pointer and end up de-referencing a invalid kobject o sysdev pointer. I think if we want to eliminate this we may need to have lock that protects access to any of the memory_block structures. This would need to be taken any time find_memory_block is called and released when use of the memory_block returned is finished. If we're going to fix this we should eliminate the window completely instead of just closing it further. If we add a lock should I submit it as part of this patchset? or submit it as a follow-on? -Nathan -- To unsubscribe, send a message with 'unsubscribe linux-mm' in the body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxx For more info on Linux MM, see: http://www.linux-mm.org/ . Don't email: <a href=mailto:"dont@xxxxxxxxx"> email@xxxxxxxxx </a>