x86, alternative, doc: Add comment for applying alternatives order
Some string operation functions may be patched twice, e.g. on enhanced REP MOVSB
/STOSB processors, memcpy is patched first by fast string alternative function,
then it is patched by enhanced REP MOVSB/STOSB alternative function.
Add comment for applying alternatives order to warn people who may change the
applying alternatives order for any reason.
[ Documentation-only patch ]
Signed-off-by: Fenghua Yu <fenghua.yu@intel.com>
Link: http://lkml.kernel.org/r/1305671358-14478-4-git-send-email-fenghua.yu@intel.com
Signed-off-by: H. Peter Anvin <hpa@linux.intel.com>
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
index 4a23467..f4fe15d 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
@@ -210,6 +210,15 @@
u8 insnbuf[MAX_PATCH_LEN];
DPRINTK("%s: alt table %p -> %p\n", __func__, start, end);
+ /*
+ * The scan order should be from start to end. A later scanned
+ * alternative code can overwrite a previous scanned alternative code.
+ * Some kernel functions (e.g. memcpy, memset, etc) use this order to
+ * patch code.
+ *
+ * So be careful if you want to change the scan order to any other
+ * order.
+ */
for (a = start; a < end; a++) {
u8 *instr = a->instr;
BUG_ON(a->replacementlen > a->instrlen);