f19920e412
The ->rcu_read_unlock_special.b.need_qs field in the task_struct structure indicates that the RCU core needs a quiscent state from the corresponding task. The __rcu_read_unlock() function checks this (via an eventual call to rcu_preempt_deferred_qs_irqrestore()), and if set reports a quiscent state immediately upon exit from the outermost RCU read-side critical section. Currently, this flag is only set when the scheduling-clock interrupt decides that the current RCU grace period is too old, as in about one full second too old. But if the kernel has been built with CONFIG_RCU_STRICT_GRACE_PERIOD=y, we clearly do not want to wait that long. This commit therefore sets the .need_qs field immediately at the start of the RCU read-side critical section from within __rcu_read_lock() in order to unconditionally enlist help from __rcu_read_unlock(). But note the additional check for rcu_state.gp_kthread, which prevents attempts to awaken RCU's grace-period kthread during early boot before there is a scheduler. Leaving off this check results in early boot hangs. So early that there is no console output. Thus, this additional check fails until such time as RCU's grace-period kthread has been created, avoiding these empty-console hangs. Reported-by Jann Horn <jannh@google.com> Signed-off-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@kernel.org>
Linux kernel
============
There are several guides for kernel developers and users. These guides can
be rendered in a number of formats, like HTML and PDF. Please read
Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst first.
In order to build the documentation, use ``make htmldocs`` or
``make pdfdocs``. The formatted documentation can also be read online at:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/
There are various text files in the Documentation/ subdirectory,
several of them using the Restructured Text markup notation.
Please read the Documentation/process/changes.rst file, as it contains the
requirements for building and running the kernel, and information about
the problems which may result by upgrading your kernel.