On Tue 10-10-17 17:14:48, Yafang Shao wrote: > 2017-10-10 16:48 GMT+08:00 Jan Kara <jack@xxxxxxx>: > > On Tue 10-10-17 16:00:29, Yafang Shao wrote: > >> 2017-10-10 6:42 GMT+08:00 Andrew Morton <akpm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>: > >> > On Sat, 7 Oct 2017 06:58:04 +0800 Yafang Shao <laoar.shao@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> > > >> >> After disable periodic writeback by writing 0 to > >> >> dirty_writeback_centisecs, the handler wb_workfn() will not be > >> >> entered again until the dirty background limit reaches or > >> >> sync syscall is executed or no enough free memory available or > >> >> vmscan is triggered. > >> >> So the periodic writeback can't be enabled by writing a non-zero > >> >> value to dirty_writeback_centisecs > >> >> As it can be disabled by sysctl, it should be able to enable by > >> >> sysctl as well. > >> >> > >> >> ... > >> >> > >> >> --- a/mm/page-writeback.c > >> >> +++ b/mm/page-writeback.c > >> >> @@ -1972,7 +1972,13 @@ bool wb_over_bg_thresh(struct bdi_writeback *wb) > >> >> int dirty_writeback_centisecs_handler(struct ctl_table *table, int write, > >> >> void __user *buffer, size_t *length, loff_t *ppos) > >> >> { > >> >> - proc_dointvec(table, write, buffer, length, ppos); > >> >> + unsigned int old_interval = dirty_writeback_interval; > >> >> + int ret; > >> >> + > >> >> + ret = proc_dointvec(table, write, buffer, length, ppos); > >> >> + if (!ret && !old_interval && dirty_writeback_interval) > >> >> + wakeup_flusher_threads(0, WB_REASON_PERIODIC); > >> >> + > >> >> return 0; > >> > > >> > We could do with a code comment here, explaining why this code exists. > >> > > >> > >> OK. I will comment here. > >> > >> > And... I'm not sure it works correctly? For example, if a device > >> > doesn't presently have bdi_has_dirty_io() then wakeup_flusher_threads() > >> > will skip it and the periodic writeback still won't be started? > >> > > >> > >> That's an issue. > >> The periodic writeback won't be started. > >> > >> Maybe we'd better call wb_wakeup_delayed(wb) here to bypass the > >> bdi_has_dirty_io() check ? > > > > Well, wb_wakeup_delayed() would be more appropriate but you'd then have to > > iterate over all bdis and wbs to be able to call it which IMO isn't worth > > the pain for a special case like this. But the decision is worth mentioning > > in the comment. Also wakeup_flusher_threads() does in principle what you > > need - see my reply to Andrew for details. > > > > Honza > > Thanks for your explaination. I understood. > I will mention it in the comment. > > Should we do the wakeup whenever dirty_writeback_interval changes ? > If we still use wakeup_flusher_threads(), it will wakeup the flusher > threads immediately after we make the change. Yes, I think we should wakeup for every change of dirty_writeback_interval. And immediate wakeup is not a problem IMO. Honza -- Jan Kara <jack@xxxxxxxx> SUSE Labs, CR -- To unsubscribe, send a message with 'unsubscribe linux-mm' in the body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxx. For more info on Linux MM, see: http://www.linux-mm.org/ . Don't email: <a href=mailto:"dont@xxxxxxxxx"> email@xxxxxxxxx </a>