diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/PCI')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/PCI/MSI-HOWTO.txt | 758 |
1 files changed, 277 insertions, 481 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/PCI/MSI-HOWTO.txt b/Documentation/PCI/MSI-HOWTO.txt index 256defd..1c02431 100644 --- a/Documentation/PCI/MSI-HOWTO.txt +++ b/Documentation/PCI/MSI-HOWTO.txt @@ -4,506 +4,302 @@ Revised Feb 12, 2004 by Martine Silbermann email: Martine.Silbermann@hp.com Revised Jun 25, 2004 by Tom L Nguyen + Revised Jul 9, 2008 by Matthew Wilcox <willy@linux.intel.com> + Copyright 2003, 2008 Intel Corporation 1. About this guide -This guide describes the basics of Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI), -the advantages of using MSI over traditional interrupt mechanisms, -and how to enable your driver to use MSI or MSI-X. Also included is -a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. - -1.1 Terminology - -PCI devices can be single-function or multi-function. In either case, -when this text talks about enabling or disabling MSI on a "device -function," it is referring to one specific PCI device and function and -not to all functions on a PCI device (unless the PCI device has only -one function). - -2. Copyright 2003 Intel Corporation - -3. What is MSI/MSI-X? - -Message Signaled Interrupt (MSI), as described in the PCI Local Bus -Specification Revision 2.3 or later, is an optional feature, and a -required feature for PCI Express devices. MSI enables a device function -to request service by sending an Inbound Memory Write on its PCI bus to -the FSB as a Message Signal Interrupt transaction. Because MSI is -generated in the form of a Memory Write, all transaction conditions, -such as a Retry, Master-Abort, Target-Abort or normal completion, are -supported. - -A PCI device that supports MSI must also support pin IRQ assertion -interrupt mechanism to provide backward compatibility for systems that -do not support MSI. In systems which support MSI, the bus driver is -responsible for initializing the message address and message data of -the device function's MSI/MSI-X capability structure during device -initial configuration. - -An MSI capable device function indicates MSI support by implementing -the MSI/MSI-X capability structure in its PCI capability list. The -device function may implement both the MSI capability structure and -the MSI-X capability structure; however, the bus driver should not -enable both. - -The MSI capability structure contains Message Control register, -Message Address register and Message Data register. These registers -provide the bus driver control over MSI. The Message Control register -indicates the MSI capability supported by the device. The Message -Address register specifies the target address and the Message Data -register specifies the characteristics of the message. To request -service, the device function writes the content of the Message Data -register to the target address. The device and its software driver -are prohibited from writing to these registers. - -The MSI-X capability structure is an optional extension to MSI. It -uses an independent and separate capability structure. There are -some key advantages to implementing the MSI-X capability structure -over the MSI capability structure as described below. - - - Support a larger maximum number of vectors per function. - - - Provide the ability for system software to configure - each vector with an independent message address and message - data, specified by a table that resides in Memory Space. - - - MSI and MSI-X both support per-vector masking. Per-vector - masking is an optional extension of MSI but a required - feature for MSI-X. Per-vector masking provides the kernel the - ability to mask/unmask a single MSI while running its - interrupt service routine. If per-vector masking is - not supported, then the device driver should provide the - hardware/software synchronization to ensure that the device - generates MSI when the driver wants it to do so. - -4. Why use MSI? - -As a benefit to the simplification of board design, MSI allows board -designers to remove out-of-band interrupt routing. MSI is another -step towards a legacy-free environment. - -Due to increasing pressure on chipset and processor packages to -reduce pin count, the need for interrupt pins is expected to -diminish over time. Devices, due to pin constraints, may implement -messages to increase performance. - -PCI Express endpoints uses INTx emulation (in-band messages) instead -of IRQ pin assertion. Using INTx emulation requires interrupt -sharing among devices connected to the same node (PCI bridge) while -MSI is unique (non-shared) and does not require BIOS configuration -support. As a result, the PCI Express technology requires MSI -support for better interrupt performance. - -Using MSI enables the device functions to support two or more -vectors, which can be configured to target different CPUs to -increase scalability. - -5. Configuring a driver to use MSI/MSI-X - -By default, the kernel will not enable MSI/MSI-X on all devices that -support this capability. The CONFIG_PCI_MSI kernel option -must be selected to enable MSI/MSI-X support. - -5.1 Including MSI/MSI-X support into the kernel - -To allow MSI/MSI-X capable device drivers to selectively enable -MSI/MSI-X (using pci_enable_msi()/pci_enable_msix() as described -below), the VECTOR based scheme needs to be enabled by setting -CONFIG_PCI_MSI during kernel config. - -Since the target of the inbound message is the local APIC, providing -CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC must be enabled as well as CONFIG_PCI_MSI. - -5.2 Configuring for MSI support - -Due to the non-contiguous fashion in vector assignment of the -existing Linux kernel, this version does not support multiple -messages regardless of a device function is capable of supporting -more than one vector. To enable MSI on a device function's MSI -capability structure requires a device driver to call the function -pci_enable_msi() explicitly. - -5.2.1 API pci_enable_msi +This guide describes the basics of Message Signaled Interrupts (MSIs), +the advantages of using MSI over traditional interrupt mechanisms, how +to change your driver to use MSI or MSI-X and some basic diagnostics to +try if a device doesn't support MSIs. + + +2. What are MSIs? + +A Message Signaled Interrupt is a write from the device to a special +address which causes an interrupt to be received by the CPU. + +The MSI capability was first specified in PCI 2.2 and was later enhanced +in PCI 3.0 to allow each interrupt to be masked individually. The MSI-X +capability was also introduced with PCI 3.0. It supports more interrupts +per device than MSI and allows interrupts to be independently configured. + +Devices may support both MSI and MSI-X, but only one can be enabled at +a time. + + +3. Why use MSIs? + +There are three reasons why using MSIs can give an advantage over +traditional pin-based interrupts. + +Pin-based PCI interrupts are often shared amongst several devices. +To support this, the kernel must call each interrupt handler associated +with an interrupt, which leads to reduced performance for the system as +a whole. MSIs are never shared, so this problem cannot arise. + +When a device writes data to memory, then raises a pin-based interrupt, +it is possible that the interrupt may arrive before all the data has +arrived in memory (this becomes more likely with devices behind PCI-PCI +bridges). In order to ensure that all the data has arrived in memory, +the interrupt handler must read a register on the device which raised +the interrupt. PCI transaction ordering rules require that all the data +arrives in memory before the value can be returned from the register. +Using MSIs avoids this problem as the interrupt-generating write cannot +pass the data writes, so by the time the interrupt is raised, the driver +knows that all the data has arrived in memory. + +PCI devices can only support a single pin-based interrupt per function. +Often drivers have to query the device to find out what event has +occurred, slowing down interrupt handling for the common case. With +MSIs, a device can support more interrupts, allowing each interrupt +to be specialised to a different purpose. One possible design gives +infrequent conditions (such as errors) their own interrupt which allows +the driver to handle the normal interrupt handling path more efficiently. +Other possible designs include giving one interrupt to each packet queue +in a network card or each port in a storage controller. + + +4. How to use MSIs + +PCI devices are initialised to use pin-based interrupts. The device +driver has to set up the device to use MSI or MSI-X. Not all machines +support MSIs correctly, and for those machines, the APIs described below +will simply fail and the device will continue to use pin-based interrupts. + +4.1 Include kernel support for MSIs + +To support MSI or MSI-X, the kernel must be built with the CONFIG_PCI_MSI +option enabled. This option is only available on some architectures, +and it may depend on some other options also being set. For example, +on x86, you must also enable X86_UP_APIC or SMP in order to see the +CONFIG_PCI_MSI option. + +4.2 Using MSI + +Most of the hard work is done for the driver in the PCI layer. It simply +has to request that the PCI layer set up the MSI capability for this +device. + +4.2.1 pci_enable_msi int pci_enable_msi(struct pci_dev *dev) -With this new API, a device driver that wants to have MSI -enabled on its device function must call this API to enable MSI. -A successful call will initialize the MSI capability structure -with ONE vector, regardless of whether a device function is -capable of supporting multiple messages. This vector replaces the -pre-assigned dev->irq with a new MSI vector. To avoid a conflict -of the new assigned vector with existing pre-assigned vector requires -a device driver to call this API before calling request_irq(). +A successful call will allocate ONE interrupt to the device, regardless +of how many MSIs the device supports. The device will be switched from +pin-based interrupt mode to MSI mode. The dev->irq number is changed +to a new number which represents the message signaled interrupt. +This function should be called before the driver calls request_irq() +since enabling MSIs disables the pin-based IRQ and the driver will not +receive interrupts on the old interrupt. -5.2.2 API pci_disable_msi +4.2.2 pci_disable_msi void pci_disable_msi(struct pci_dev *dev) -This API should always be used to undo the effect of pci_enable_msi() -when a device driver is unloading. This API restores dev->irq with -the pre-assigned IOAPIC vector and switches a device's interrupt -mode to PCI pin-irq assertion/INTx emulation mode. - -Note that a device driver should always call free_irq() on the MSI vector -that it has done request_irq() on before calling this API. Failure to do -so results in a BUG_ON() and a device will be left with MSI enabled and -leaks its vector. - -5.2.3 MSI mode vs. legacy mode diagram - -The below diagram shows the events which switch the interrupt -mode on the MSI-capable device function between MSI mode and -PIN-IRQ assertion mode. - - ------------ pci_enable_msi ------------------------ - | | <=============== | | - | MSI MODE | | PIN-IRQ ASSERTION MODE | - | | ===============> | | - ------------ pci_disable_msi ------------------------ - - -Figure 1. MSI Mode vs. Legacy Mode - -In Figure 1, a device operates by default in legacy mode. Legacy -in this context means PCI pin-irq assertion or PCI-Express INTx -emulation. A successful MSI request (using pci_enable_msi()) switches -a device's interrupt mode to MSI mode. A pre-assigned IOAPIC vector -stored in dev->irq will be saved by the PCI subsystem and a new -assigned MSI vector will replace dev->irq. - -To return back to its default mode, a device driver should always call -pci_disable_msi() to undo the effect of pci_enable_msi(). Note that a -device driver should always call free_irq() on the MSI vector it has -done request_irq() on before calling pci_disable_msi(). Failure to do -so results in a BUG_ON() and a device will be left with MSI enabled and -leaks its vector. Otherwise, the PCI subsystem restores a device's -dev->irq with a pre-assigned IOAPIC vector and marks the released -MSI vector as unused. - -Once being marked as unused, there is no guarantee that the PCI -subsystem will reserve this MSI vector for a device. Depending on -the availability of current PCI vector resources and the number of -MSI/MSI-X requests from other drivers, this MSI may be re-assigned. - -For the case where the PCI subsystem re-assigns this MSI vector to -another driver, a request to switch back to MSI mode may result -in being assigned a different MSI vector or a failure if no more -vectors are available. - -5.3 Configuring for MSI-X support - -Due to the ability of the system software to configure each vector of -the MSI-X capability structure with an independent message address -and message data, the non-contiguous fashion in vector assignment of -the existing Linux kernel has no impact on supporting multiple -messages on an MSI-X capable device functions. To enable MSI-X on -a device function's MSI-X capability structure requires its device -driver to call the function pci_enable_msix() explicitly. - -The function pci_enable_msix(), once invoked, enables either -all or nothing, depending on the current availability of PCI vector -resources. If the PCI vector resources are available for the number -of vectors requested by a device driver, this function will configure -the MSI-X table of the MSI-X capability structure of a device with -requested messages. To emphasize this reason, for example, a device -may be capable for supporting the maximum of 32 vectors while its -software driver usually may request 4 vectors. It is recommended -that the device driver should call this function once during the -initialization phase of the device driver. - -Unlike the function pci_enable_msi(), the function pci_enable_msix() -does not replace the pre-assigned IOAPIC dev->irq with a new MSI -vector because the PCI subsystem writes the 1:1 vector-to-entry mapping -into the field vector of each element contained in a second argument. -Note that the pre-assigned IOAPIC dev->irq is valid only if the device -operates in PIN-IRQ assertion mode. In MSI-X mode, any attempt at -using dev->irq by the device driver to request for interrupt service -may result in unpredictable behavior. - -For each MSI-X vector granted, a device driver is responsible for calling -other functions like request_irq(), enable_irq(), etc. to enable -this vector with its corresponding interrupt service handler. It is -a device driver's choice to assign all vectors with the same -interrupt service handler or each vector with a unique interrupt -service handler. - -5.3.1 Handling MMIO address space of MSI-X Table - -The PCI 3.0 specification has implementation notes that MMIO address -space for a device's MSI-X structure should be isolated so that the -software system can set different pages for controlling accesses to the -MSI-X structure. The implementation of MSI support requires the PCI -subsystem, not a device driver, to maintain full control of the MSI-X -table/MSI-X PBA (Pending Bit Array) and MMIO address space of the MSI-X -table/MSI-X PBA. A device driver should not access the MMIO address -space of the MSI-X table/MSI-X PBA. - -5.3.2 API pci_enable_msix - -int pci_enable_msix(struct pci_dev *dev, struct msix_entry *entries, int nvec) +This function should be used to undo the effect of pci_enable_msi(). +Calling it restores dev->irq to the pin-based interrupt number and frees +the previously allocated message signaled interrupt(s). The interrupt +may subsequently be assigned to another device, so drivers should not +cache the value of dev->irq. -This API enables a device driver to request the PCI subsystem -to enable MSI-X messages on its hardware device. Depending on -the availability of PCI vectors resources, the PCI subsystem enables -either all or none of the requested vectors. +A device driver must always call free_irq() on the interrupt(s) +for which it has called request_irq() before calling this function. +Failure to do so will result in a BUG_ON(), the device will be left with +MSI enabled and will leak its vector. -Argument 'dev' points to the device (pci_dev) structure. +4.3 Using MSI-X -Argument 'entries' is a pointer to an array of msix_entry structs. -The number of entries is indicated in argument 'nvec'. -struct msix_entry is defined in /driver/pci/msi.h: +The MSI-X capability is much more flexible than the MSI capability. +It supports up to 2048 interrupts, each of which can be controlled +independently. To support this flexibility, drivers must use an array of +`struct msix_entry': struct msix_entry { u16 vector; /* kernel uses to write alloc vector */ u16 entry; /* driver uses to specify entry */ }; -A device driver is responsible for initializing the field 'entry' of -each element with a unique entry supported by MSI-X table. Otherwise, --EINVAL will be returned as a result. A successful return of zero -indicates the PCI subsystem completed initializing each of the requested -entries of the MSI-X table with message address and message data. -Last but not least, the PCI subsystem will write the 1:1 -vector-to-entry mapping into the field 'vector' of each element. A -device driver is responsible for keeping track of allocated MSI-X -vectors in its internal data structure. - -A return of zero indicates that the number of MSI-X vectors was -successfully allocated. A return of greater than zero indicates -MSI-X vector shortage. Or a return of less than zero indicates -a failure. This failure may be a result of duplicate entries -specified in second argument, or a result of no available vector, -or a result of failing to initialize MSI-X table entries. - -5.3.3 API pci_disable_msix +This allows for the device to use these interrupts in a sparse fashion; +for example it could use interrupts 3 and 1027 and allocate only a +two-element array. The driver is expected to fill in the 'entry' value +in each element of the array to indicate which entries it wants the kernel +to assign interrupts for. It is invalid to fill in two entries with the +same number. + +4.3.1 pci_enable_msix + +int pci_enable_msix(struct pci_dev *dev, struct msix_entry *entries, int nvec) + +Calling this function asks the PCI subsystem to allocate 'nvec' MSIs. +The 'entries' argument is a pointer to an array of msix_entry structs +which should be at least 'nvec' entries in size. On success, the +function will return 0 and the device will have been switched into +MSI-X interrupt mode. The 'vector' elements in each entry will have +been filled in with the interrupt number. The driver should then call +request_irq() for each 'vector' that it decides to use. + +If this function returns a negative number, it indicates an error and +the driver should not attempt to allocate any more MSI-X interrupts for +this device. If it returns a positive number, it indicates the maximum +number of interrupt vectors that could have been allocated. + +This function, in contrast with pci_enable_msi(), does not adjust +dev->irq. The device will not generate interrupts for this interrupt +number once MSI-X is enabled. The device driver is responsible for +keeping track of the interrupts assigned to the MSI-X vectors so it can +free them again later. + +Device drivers should normally call this function once per device +during the initialization phase. + +4.3.2 pci_disable_msix void pci_disable_msix(struct pci_dev *dev) -This API should always be used to undo the effect of pci_enable_msix() -when a device driver is unloading. Note that a device driver should -always call free_irq() on all MSI-X vectors it has done request_irq() -on before calling this API. Failure to do so results in a BUG_ON() and -a device will be left with MSI-X enabled and leaks its vectors. - -5.3.4 MSI-X mode vs. legacy mode diagram - -The below diagram shows the events which switch the interrupt -mode on the MSI-X capable device function between MSI-X mode and -PIN-IRQ assertion mode (legacy). - - ------------ pci_enable_msix(,,n) ------------------------ - | | <=============== | | - | MSI-X MODE | | PIN-IRQ ASSERTION MODE | - | | ===============> | | - ------------ pci_disable_msix ------------------------ - -Figure 2. MSI-X Mode vs. Legacy Mode - -In Figure 2, a device operates by default in legacy mode. A -successful MSI-X request (using pci_enable_msix()) switches a -device's interrupt mode to MSI-X mode. A pre-assigned IOAPIC vector -stored in dev->irq will be saved by the PCI subsystem; however, -unlike MSI mode, the PCI subsystem will not replace dev->irq with -assigned MSI-X vector because the PCI subsystem already writes the 1:1 -vector-to-entry mapping into the field 'vector' of each element -specified in second argument. - -To return back to its default mode, a device driver should always call -pci_disable_msix() to undo the effect of pci_enable_msix(). Note that -a device driver should always call free_irq() on all MSI-X vectors it -has done request_irq() on before calling pci_disable_msix(). Failure -to do so results in a BUG_ON() and a device will be left with MSI-X -enabled and leaks its vectors. Otherwise, the PCI subsystem switches a -device function's interrupt mode from MSI-X mode to legacy mode and -marks all allocated MSI-X vectors as unused. - -Once being marked as unused, there is no guarantee that the PCI -subsystem will reserve these MSI-X vectors for a device. Depending on -the availability of current PCI vector resources and the number of -MSI/MSI-X requests from other drivers, these MSI-X vectors may be -re-assigned. - -For the case where the PCI subsystem re-assigned these MSI-X vectors -to other drivers, a request to switch back to MSI-X mode may result -being assigned with another set of MSI-X vectors or a failure if no -more vectors are available. - -5.4 Handling function implementing both MSI and MSI-X capabilities - -For the case where a function implements both MSI and MSI-X -capabilities, the PCI subsystem enables a device to run either in MSI -mode or MSI-X mode but not both. A device driver determines whether it -wants MSI or MSI-X enabled on its hardware device. Once a device -driver requests for MSI, for example, it is prohibited from requesting -MSI-X; in other words, a device driver is not permitted to ping-pong -between MSI mod MSI-X mode during a run-time. - -5.5 Hardware requirements for MSI/MSI-X support - -MSI/MSI-X support requires support from both system hardware and -individual hardware device functions. - -5.5.1 Required x86 hardware support - -Since the target of MSI address is the local APIC CPU, enabling -MSI/MSI-X support in the Linux kernel is dependent on whether existing -system hardware supports local APIC. Users should verify that their -system supports local APIC operation by testing that it runs when -CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC=y. - -In SMP environment, CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC is automatically set; -however, in UP environment, users must manually set -CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC. Once CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC=y, setting -CONFIG_PCI_MSI enables the VECTOR based scheme and the option for -MSI-capable device drivers to selectively enable MSI/MSI-X. - -Note that CONFIG_X86_IO_APIC setting is irrelevant because MSI/MSI-X -vector is allocated new during runtime and MSI/MSI-X support does not -depend on BIOS support. This key independency enables MSI/MSI-X -support on future IOxAPIC free platforms. - -5.5.2 Device hardware support - -The hardware device function supports MSI by indicating the -MSI/MSI-X capability structure on its PCI capability list. By -default, this capability structure will not be initialized by -the kernel to enable MSI during the system boot. In other words, -the device function is running on its default pin assertion mode. -Note that in many cases the hardware supporting MSI have bugs, -which may result in system hangs. The software driver of specific -MSI-capable hardware is responsible for deciding whether to call -pci_enable_msi or not. A return of zero indicates the kernel -successfully initialized the MSI/MSI-X capability structure of the -device function. The device function is now running on MSI/MSI-X mode. - -5.6 How to tell whether MSI/MSI-X is enabled on device function - -At the driver level, a return of zero from the function call of -pci_enable_msi()/pci_enable_msix() indicates to a device driver that -its device function is initialized successfully and ready to run in -MSI/MSI-X mode. - -At the user level, users can use the command 'cat /proc/interrupts' -to display the vectors allocated for devices and their interrupt -MSI/MSI-X modes ("PCI-MSI"/"PCI-MSI-X"). Below shows MSI mode is -enabled on a SCSI Adaptec 39320D Ultra320 controller. - - CPU0 CPU1 - 0: 324639 0 IO-APIC-edge timer - 1: 1186 0 IO-APIC-edge i8042 - 2: 0 0 XT-PIC cascade - 12: 2797 0 IO-APIC-edge i8042 - 14: 6543 0 IO-APIC-edge ide0 - 15: 1 0 IO-APIC-edge ide1 -169: 0 0 IO-APIC-level uhci-hcd -185: 0 0 IO-APIC-level uhci-hcd -193: 138 10 PCI-MSI aic79xx -201: 30 0 PCI-MSI aic79xx -225: 30 0 IO-APIC-level aic7xxx -233: 30 0 IO-APIC-level aic7xxx -NMI: 0 0 -LOC: 324553 325068 -ERR: 0 -MIS: 0 - -6. MSI quirks - -Several PCI chipsets or devices are known to not support MSI. -The PCI stack provides 3 possible levels of MSI disabling: -* on a single device -* on all devices behind a specific bridge -* globally - -6.1. Disabling MSI on a single device - -Under some circumstances it might be required to disable MSI on a -single device. This may be achieved by either not calling pci_enable_msi() -or all, or setting the pci_dev->no_msi flag before (most of the time -in a quirk). - -6.2. Disabling MSI below a bridge - -The vast majority of MSI quirks are required by PCI bridges not -being able to route MSI between busses. In this case, MSI have to be -disabled on all devices behind this bridge. It is achieves by setting -the PCI_BUS_FLAGS_NO_MSI flag in the pci_bus->bus_flags of the bridge -subordinate bus. There is no need to set the same flag on bridges that -are below the broken bridge. When pci_enable_msi() is called to enable -MSI on a device, pci_msi_supported() takes care of checking the NO_MSI -flag in all parent busses of the device. - -Some bridges actually support dynamic MSI support enabling/disabling -by changing some bits in their PCI configuration space (especially -the Hypertransport chipsets such as the nVidia nForce and Serverworks -HT2000). It may then be required to update the NO_MSI flag on the -corresponding devices in the sysfs hierarchy. To enable MSI support -on device "0000:00:0e", do: - - echo 1 > /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:0e/msi_bus - -To disable MSI support, echo 0 instead of 1. Note that it should be -used with caution since changing this value might break interrupts. - -6.3. Disabling MSI globally - -Some extreme cases may require to disable MSI globally on the system. -For now, the only known case is a Serverworks PCI-X chipsets (MSI are -not supported on several busses that are not all connected to the -chipset in the Linux PCI hierarchy). In the vast majority of other -cases, disabling only behind a specific bridge is enough. - -For debugging purpose, the user may also pass pci=nomsi on the kernel -command-line to explicitly disable MSI globally. But, once the appro- -priate quirks are added to the kernel, this option should not be -required anymore. - -6.4. Finding why MSI cannot be enabled on a device - -Assuming that MSI are not enabled on a device, you should look at -dmesg to find messages that quirks may output when disabling MSI -on some devices, some bridges or even globally. -Then, lspci -t gives the list of bridges above a device. Reading -/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:0e/msi_bus will tell you whether MSI -are enabled (1) or disabled (0). In 0 is found in a single bridge -msi_bus file above the device, MSI cannot be enabled. - -7. FAQ - -Q1. Are there any limitations on using the MSI? - -A1. If the PCI device supports MSI and conforms to the -specification and the platform supports the APIC local bus, -then using MSI should work. - -Q2. Will it work on all the Pentium processors (P3, P4, Xeon, -AMD processors)? In P3 IPI's are transmitted on the APIC local -bus and in P4 and Xeon they are transmitted on the system -bus. Are there any implications with this? - -A2. MSI support enables a PCI device sending an inbound -memory write (0xfeexxxxx as target address) on its PCI bus -directly to the FSB. Since the message address has a -redirection hint bit cleared, it should work. - -Q3. The target address 0xfeexxxxx will be translated by the -Host Bridge into an interrupt message. Are there any -limitations on the chipsets such as Intel 8xx, Intel e7xxx, -or VIA? - -A3. If these chipsets support an inbound memory write with -target address set as 0xfeexxxxx, as conformed to PCI -specification 2.3 or latest, then it should work. - -Q4. From the driver point of view, if the MSI is lost because -of errors occurring during inbound memory write, then it may -wait forever. Is there a mechanism for it to recover? - -A4. Since the target of the transaction is an inbound memory -write, all transaction termination conditions (Retry, -Master-Abort, Target-Abort, or normal completion) are -supported. A device sending an MSI must abide by all the PCI -rules and conditions regarding that inbound memory write. So, -if a retry is signaled it must retry, etc... We believe that -the recommendation for Abort is also a retry (refer to PCI -specification 2.3 or latest). +This API should be used to undo the effect of pci_enable_msix(). It frees +the previously allocated message signaled interrupts. The interrupts may +subsequently be assigned to another device, so drivers should not cache +the value of the 'vector' elements over a call to pci_disable_msix(). + +A device driver must always call free_irq() on the interrupt(s) +for which it has called request_irq() before calling this function. +Failure to do so will result in a BUG_ON(), the device will be left with +MSI enabled and will leak its vector. + +4.3.3 The MSI-X Table + +The MSI-X capability specifies a BAR and offset within that BAR for the +MSI-X Table. This address is mapped by the PCI subsystem, and should not +be accessed directly by the device driver. If the driver wishes to +mask or unmask an interrupt, it should call disable_irq() / enable_irq(). + +4.4 Handling devices implementing both MSI and MSI-X capabilities + +If a device implements both MSI and MSI-X capabilities, it can +run in either MSI mode or MSI-X mode but not both simultaneously. +This is a requirement of the PCI spec, and it is enforced by the +PCI layer. Calling pci_enable_msi() when MSI-X is already enabled or +pci_enable_msix() when MSI is already enabled will result in an error. +If a device driver wishes to switch between MSI and MSI-X at runtime, +it must first quiesce the device, then switch it back to pin-interrupt +mode, before calling pci_enable_msi() or pci_enable_msix() and resuming +operation. This is not expected to be a common operation but may be +useful for debugging or testing during development. + +4.5 Considerations when using MSIs + +4.5.1 Choosing between MSI-X and MSI + +If your device supports both MSI-X and MSI capabilities, you should use +the MSI-X facilities in preference to the MSI facilities. As mentioned +above, MSI-X supports any number of interrupts between 1 and 2048. +In constrast, MSI is restricted to a maximum of 32 interrupts (and +must be a power of two). In addition, the MSI interrupt vectors must +be allocated consecutively, so the system may not be able to allocate +as many vectors for MSI as it could for MSI-X. On some platforms, MSI +interrupts must all be targetted at the same set of CPUs whereas MSI-X +interrupts can all be targetted at different CPUs. + +4.5.2 Spinlocks + +Most device drivers have a per-device spinlock which is taken in the +interrupt handler. With pin-based interrupts or a single MSI, it is not +necessary to disable interrupts (Linux guarantees the same interrupt will +not be re-entered). If a device uses multiple interrupts, the driver +must disable interrupts while the lock is held. If the device sends +a different interrupt, the driver will deadlock trying to recursively +acquire the spinlock. + +There are two solutions. The first is to take the lock with +spin_lock_irqsave() or spin_lock_irq() (see +Documentation/DocBook/kernel-locking). The second is to specify +IRQF_DISABLED to request_irq() so that the kernel runs the entire +interrupt routine with interrupts disabled. + +If your MSI interrupt routine does not hold the lock for the whole time +it is running, the first solution may be best. The second solution is +normally preferred as it avoids making two transitions from interrupt +disabled to enabled and back again. + +4.6 How to tell whether MSI/MSI-X is enabled on a device + +Using 'lspci -v' (as root) may show some devices with "MSI", "Message +Signalled Interrupts" or "MSI-X" capabilities. Each of these capabilities +has an 'Enable' flag which will be followed with either "+" (enabled) +or "-" (disabled). + + +5. MSI quirks + +Several PCI chipsets or devices are known not to support MSIs. +The PCI stack provides three ways to disable MSIs: + +1. globally +2. on all devices behind a specific bridge +3. on a single device + +5.1. Disabling MSIs globally + +Some host chipsets simply don't support MSIs properly. If we're +lucky, the manufacturer knows this and has indicated it in the ACPI +FADT table. In this case, Linux will automatically disable MSIs. +Some boards don't include this information in the table and so we have +to detect them ourselves. The complete list of these is found near the +quirk_disable_all_msi() function in drivers/pci/quirks.c. + +If you have a board which has problems with MSIs, you can pass pci=nomsi +on the kernel command line to disable MSIs on all devices. It would be +in your best interests to report the problem to linux-pci@vger.kernel.org +including a full 'lspci -v' so we can add the quirks to the kernel. + +5.2. Disabling MSIs below a bridge + +Some PCI bridges are not able to route MSIs between busses properly. +In this case, MSIs must be disabled on all devices behind the bridge. + +Some bridges allow you to enable MSIs by changing some bits in their +PCI configuration space (especially the Hypertransport chipsets such +as the nVidia nForce and Serverworks HT2000). As with host chipsets, +Linux mostly knows about them and automatically enables MSIs if it can. +If you have a bridge which Linux doesn't yet know about, you can enable +MSIs in configuration space using whatever method you know works, then +enable MSIs on that bridge by doing: + + echo 1 > /sys/bus/pci/devices/$bridge/msi_bus + +where $bridge is the PCI address of the bridge you've enabled (eg +0000:00:0e.0). + +To disable MSIs, echo 0 instead of 1. Changing this value should be +done with caution as it can break interrupt handling for all devices +below this bridge. + +Again, please notify linux-pci@vger.kernel.org of any bridges that need +special handling. + +5.3. Disabling MSIs on a single device + +Some devices are known to have faulty MSI implementations. Usually this +is handled in the individual device driver but occasionally it's necessary +to handle this with a quirk. Some drivers have an option to disable use +of MSI. While this is a convenient workaround for the driver author, +it is not good practise, and should not be emulated. + +5.4. Finding why MSIs are disabled on a device + +From the above three sections, you can see that there are many reasons +why MSIs may not be enabled for a given device. Your first step should +be to examine your dmesg carefully to determine whether MSIs are enabled +for your machine. You should also check your .config to be sure you +have enabled CONFIG_PCI_MSI. + +Then, 'lspci -t' gives the list of bridges above a device. Reading +/sys/bus/pci/devices/*/msi_bus will tell you whether MSI are enabled (1) +or disabled (0). If 0 is found in any of the msi_bus files belonging +to bridges between the PCI root and the device, MSIs are disabled. + +It is also worth checking the device driver to see whether it supports MSIs. +For example, it may contain calls to pci_enable_msi(), pci_enable_msix() or +pci_enable_msi_block(). |