diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'docs')
| -rw-r--r-- | docs/devel/atomics.rst | 26 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | docs/system/target-mips.rst | 14 |
2 files changed, 21 insertions, 19 deletions
diff --git a/docs/devel/atomics.rst b/docs/devel/atomics.rst index 7957310071..633df65a97 100644 --- a/docs/devel/atomics.rst +++ b/docs/devel/atomics.rst @@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ provides macros that fall in three camps: - weak atomic access and manual memory barriers: ``qatomic_read()``, ``qatomic_set()``, ``smp_rmb()``, ``smp_wmb()``, ``smp_mb()``, - ``smp_mb_acquire()``, ``smp_mb_release()``, ``smp_read_barrier_depends()``; + ``smp_mb_acquire()``, ``smp_mb_release()``, ``smp_read_barrier_depends()``, + ``smp_mb__before_rmw()``, ``smp_mb__after_rmw()``; - sequentially consistent atomic access: everything else. @@ -472,7 +473,7 @@ and memory barriers, and the equivalents in QEMU: sequential consistency. - in QEMU, ``qatomic_read()`` and ``qatomic_set()`` do not participate in - the total ordering enforced by sequentially-consistent operations. + the ordering enforced by read-modify-write operations. This is because QEMU uses the C11 memory model. The following example is correct in Linux but not in QEMU: @@ -488,9 +489,24 @@ and memory barriers, and the equivalents in QEMU: because the read of ``y`` can be moved (by either the processor or the compiler) before the write of ``x``. - Fixing this requires an ``smp_mb()`` memory barrier between the write - of ``x`` and the read of ``y``. In the common case where only one thread - writes ``x``, it is also possible to write it like this: + Fixing this requires a full memory barrier between the write of ``x`` and + the read of ``y``. QEMU provides ``smp_mb__before_rmw()`` and + ``smp_mb__after_rmw()``; they act both as an optimization, + avoiding the memory barrier on processors where it is unnecessary, + and as a clarification of this corner case of the C11 memory model: + + +--------------------------------+ + | QEMU (correct) | + +================================+ + | :: | + | | + | a = qatomic_fetch_add(&x, 2);| + | smp_mb__after_rmw(); | + | b = qatomic_read(&y); | + +--------------------------------+ + + In the common case where only one thread writes ``x``, it is also possible + to write it like this: +--------------------------------+ | QEMU (correct) | diff --git a/docs/system/target-mips.rst b/docs/system/target-mips.rst index 138441bdec..83239fb9df 100644 --- a/docs/system/target-mips.rst +++ b/docs/system/target-mips.rst @@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ endian options, ``qemu-system-mips``, ``qemu-system-mipsel`` ``qemu-system-mips64`` and ``qemu-system-mips64el``. Five different machine types are emulated: -- A generic ISA PC-like machine \"mips\" - - The MIPS Malta prototype board \"malta\" - An ACER Pica \"pica61\". This machine needs the 64-bit emulator. @@ -19,18 +17,6 @@ machine types are emulated: - A MIPS Magnum R4000 machine \"magnum\". This machine needs the 64-bit emulator. -The generic emulation is supported by Debian 'Etch' and is able to -install Debian into a virtual disk image. The following devices are -emulated: - -- A range of MIPS CPUs, default is the 24Kf - -- PC style serial port - -- PC style IDE disk - -- NE2000 network card - The Malta emulation supports the following devices: - Core board with MIPS 24Kf CPU and Galileo system controller |