sparse_index_init uses index_init_lock spinlock to protect root mem_section assignment. The lock is not necessary anymore because the function is called only during the boot (during paging init which is executed only from a single CPU) and from the hotplug code (by add_memory via arch_add_memory) which uses mem_hotplug_mutex. The lock has been introduced by 28ae55c9 (sparsemem extreme: hotplug preparation) and sparse_index_init was used only during boot at that time. Later when the hotplug code (and add_memory) was introduced there was no synchronization so it was possible to online more sections from the same root probably (though I am not 100% sure about that). The first synchronization has been added by 6ad696d2 (mm: allow memory hotplug and hibernation in the same kernel) which has been later replaced by the mem_hotplug_mutex - 20d6c96b (mem-hotplug: introduce {un}lock_memory_hotplug()). Let's remove the lock as it is not needed and it makes the code more confusing. [mhocko@xxxxxxx: changelog] Signed-off-by: Gavin Shan <shangw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reviewed-by: Michal Hocko <mhocko@xxxxxxx> --- mm/sparse.c | 14 +------------- 1 files changed, 1 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-) diff --git a/mm/sparse.c b/mm/sparse.c index 51950de..40b1100 100644 --- a/mm/sparse.c +++ b/mm/sparse.c @@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ static struct mem_section noinline __init_refok *sparse_index_alloc(int nid) static int __meminit sparse_index_init(unsigned long section_nr, int nid) { - static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(index_init_lock); unsigned long root = SECTION_NR_TO_ROOT(section_nr); struct mem_section *section; int ret = 0; @@ -88,20 +87,9 @@ static int __meminit sparse_index_init(unsigned long section_nr, int nid) section = sparse_index_alloc(nid); if (!section) return -ENOMEM; - /* - * This lock keeps two different sections from - * reallocating for the same index - */ - spin_lock(&index_init_lock); - - if (mem_section[root]) { - ret = -EEXIST; - goto out; - } mem_section[root] = section; -out: - spin_unlock(&index_init_lock); + return ret; } #else /* !SPARSEMEM_EXTREME */ -- 1.7.5.4 -- 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>