From: Len Brown <len.brown@xxxxxxxxx> In Linux-3.9 we removed the mwait_idle() loop: 'x86 idle: remove mwait_idle() and "idle=mwait" cmdline param' (69fb3676df3329a7142803bb3502fa59dc0db2e3) The reasoning was that modern machines should be sufficiently happy during the boot process using the default_idle() HALT loop, until cpuidle loads and either acpi_idle or intel_idle invoke the newer MWAIT-with-hints idle loop. But two machines reported problems: 1. Certain Core2-era machines support MWAIT-C1 and HALT only. MWAIT-C1 is preferred for optimal power and performance. But if they support just C1, cpuidle never loads and so they use the boot-time default idle loop forever. 2. Some laptops will boot-hang if HALT is used, but will boot successfully if MWAIT is used. This appears to be a hidden assumption in BIOS SMI, that is presumably valid on the proprietary OS where the BIOS was validated. https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=60770 So here we effectively revert the patch above, restoring the mwait_idle() loop. However, we don't bother restoring the idle=mwait cmdline parameter, since it appears to add no value. Maintainer notes: For 3.9, simply revert 69fb3676df for 3.10, patch -F3 applies, fuzz needed due to __cpuinit use in context For 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, this patch applies cleanly Cc: Mike Galbraith <bitbucket@xxxxxxxxx> Cc: Ian Malone <ibmalone@xxxxxxxxx> Cc: Josh Boyer <jwboyer@xxxxxxxxxx> Cc: <stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> # 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13 Signed-off-by: Len Brown <len.brown@xxxxxxxxx> --- arch/x86/kernel/process.c | 46 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 46 insertions(+) diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/process.c b/arch/x86/kernel/process.c index 3fb8d95..db471a8 100644 --- a/arch/x86/kernel/process.c +++ b/arch/x86/kernel/process.c @@ -398,6 +398,49 @@ static void amd_e400_idle(void) default_idle(); } +/* + * Intel Core2 and older machines prefer MWAIT over HALT for C1. + * We can't rely on cpuidle installing MWAIT, because it will not load + * on systems that support only C1 -- so the boot default must be MWAIT. + * + * Some AMD machines are the opposite, they depend on using HALT. + * + * So for default C1, which is used during boot until cpuidle loads, + * use MWAIT-C1 on Intel HW that has it, else use HALT. + */ +static int prefer_mwait_c1_over_halt(const struct cpuinfo_x86 *c) +{ + if (c->x86_vendor != X86_VENDOR_INTEL) + return 0; + + if (!cpu_has(c, X86_FEATURE_MWAIT)) + return 0; + + return 1; +} + +/* + * MONITOR/MWAIT with no hints, used for default default C1 state. + * This invokes MWAIT with interrutps enabled and no flags, + * which is backwards compatible with the original MWAIT implementation. + */ + +static void mwait_idle(void) +{ + if (!need_resched()) { + if (this_cpu_has(X86_FEATURE_CLFLUSH_MONITOR)) + clflush((void *)¤t_thread_info()->flags); + + __monitor((void *)¤t_thread_info()->flags, 0, 0); + smp_mb(); + if (!need_resched()) + __sti_mwait(0, 0); + else + local_irq_enable(); + } else + local_irq_enable(); +} + void select_idle_routine(const struct cpuinfo_x86 *c) { #ifdef CONFIG_SMP @@ -411,6 +454,9 @@ void select_idle_routine(const struct cpuinfo_x86 *c) /* E400: APIC timer interrupt does not wake up CPU from C1e */ pr_info("using AMD E400 aware idle routine\n"); x86_idle = amd_e400_idle; + } else if (prefer_mwait_c1_over_halt(c)) { + pr_info("using mwait in idle threads\n"); + x86_idle = mwait_idle; } else x86_idle = default_idle; } -- 1.8.5.2.309.ga25014b -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe stable" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html