* [PATCH] docs, amd_ucode: Condense amd_ucode notes
@ 2014-10-07 22:34 Aravind Gopalakrishnan
2014-10-10 7:18 ` Jan Beulich
0 siblings, 1 reply; 3+ messages in thread
From: Aravind Gopalakrishnan @ 2014-10-07 22:34 UTC (permalink / raw
To: ian.campbell, jbeulich, andrew.cooper3, boris.ostrovsky,
xen-devel
Cc: keir, ian.jackson, Aravind Gopalakrishnan
Some cleanups to the documentation-
- Remove unnecessary steps listed to apply ucode using initrd.
- Condense 'Misc notes' section as well
Suggested-by: Boris Ostrovsky <boris.ostrovsky@oracle.com>
Signed-off-by: Aravind Gopalakrishnan <aravind.gopalakrishnan@amd.com>
---
docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt | 41 +++++++++++++--------------------------
1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)
diff --git a/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt b/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
index ae3ceb0..b51b034 100644
--- a/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
+++ b/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Intro to AMD Container Files:
processor families 10h, 11h, 12h, 14h, and 15h.
* There is one single file (container file) containing all microcode patches
for AMD families 10h - 14h processors. [microcode_amd.bin]
-* For AMD family 15h processors there is a separate container file. [microcode_amd_fam15h.bin]
+* For AMD processor families 15h+, there is a separate container file. [microcode_amd_fam15h+.bin]
* Microcode patches are not incremental, therefore you only need to make
sure you have the latest container file for your AMD processor family.
* One can find the latest AMD microcode containers from [1], [2]
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Intro to AMD Container Files:
Mutual Exclusivity Rule of AMD containers:
* The patches for families 10h - 14h are guaranteed to be only on
microcode_amd.bin
-* Similarly, patches for family 15h will only be on microcode_amd_fam15h.bin
+* Similarly, patches for family 15h+ will only be on microcode_amd_fam15h+.bin
* This is because, the processes and scripts used to create container files
ensure that there is no mix-up
@@ -60,35 +60,22 @@ Example System base: Ubuntu 13.04 with 3.8.0-30-generic kernel
1. mkdir initrd-for-xen-with_append
2. cd initrd-for-xen-with_append
3. mkdir -p kernel/x86/microcode
-4. cp /lib/firmware/amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin .
-5. cp /lib/firmware/amd-ucode/microcode_amd_fam15h.bin .
-6. cat microcode_amd.bin microcode_amd_fam15h.bin > microcode_concatenated.bin
-7. mv microcode_concatenated.bin kernel/x86/microcode/AuthenticAMD.bin
-8. rm microcode_amd.bin microcode_amd_fam15h.bin
-9. find . | cpio -o -H newc > ucode.cpio
-10. cp /boot/initrd.img-3.8.0-30-generic .
-11. cat ucode.cpio initrd.img-3.8.0-30-generic > initrd_for_xen_with_ucode
-12. cp initrd_for_xen_with_ucode /boot/
-13. On grub.cfg, provide the above initrd name as module.
-14. Use 'ucode=scan' option as Xen boot parameter.
+4. cat /lib/firmware/amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin \
+ /lib/firmware/amd-ucode/microcode_amd_fam15h.bin > \
+ kernel/x86/microcode/AuthenticAMD.bin
+5. find . | cpio -o -H newc > ucode.cpio
+6. cat ucode.cpio /boot/initrd.img-3.8.0-30-generic > /boot/initrd_for_xen_with_ucode
+7. On grub.cfg, provide the above initrd name as module.
+8. Use 'ucode=scan' option as Xen boot parameter.
Misc Notes:
-----------
It is not recommended to concatenate two(or more) container files of
-the same kind. (two microcode_amd_fam15h.bin for example)
-This is because:
-There is no check in Xen currently to verify this.
-Now, given a situation where
-1. An earlier container has a patch that 'fits' the processor you are
- currently on,
-2. There is a subsequent container that *also* has a patch that 'fits',
-3. The second patch happens to be an update over the patch found on the
- first container file.
-
-In such a case, only the patch from the first container is applied.
-This is because Xen assumes that the the containers (if concatenated
-together) are different kinds AND the 'Mutual Exclusivity' rule is
-always true.
+the same kind. (e.g. two microcode_amd_fam15h.bin) since the hypervisor
+will apply a patch as and when it determines that it is a 'good fit'.
+Once the patch is applied, further parsing of the file is skipped.
+Therefore, if a subsequent container file has a newer/updated patch, that
+patch will be ignored.
In cases where users are not sure about provenance of containers
they should obtain a "good" set by downloading them from source links
--
2.1.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
* Re: [PATCH] docs, amd_ucode: Condense amd_ucode notes
2014-10-07 22:34 [PATCH] docs, amd_ucode: Condense amd_ucode notes Aravind Gopalakrishnan
@ 2014-10-10 7:18 ` Jan Beulich
2014-10-10 14:52 ` Aravind Gopalakrishnan
0 siblings, 1 reply; 3+ messages in thread
From: Jan Beulich @ 2014-10-10 7:18 UTC (permalink / raw
To: Aravind Gopalakrishnan
Cc: keir, ian.campbell, andrew.cooper3, ian.jackson, xen-devel,
boris.ostrovsky
>>> On 08.10.14 at 00:34, <aravind.gopalakrishnan@amd.com> wrote:
> Some cleanups to the documentation-
> - Remove unnecessary steps listed to apply ucode using initrd.
> - Condense 'Misc notes' section as well
>
> Suggested-by: Boris Ostrovsky <boris.ostrovsky@oracle.com>
> Signed-off-by: Aravind Gopalakrishnan <aravind.gopalakrishnan@amd.com>
> ---
> docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt | 41 +++++++++++++--------------------------
> 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt b/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
> index ae3ceb0..b51b034 100644
> --- a/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
> +++ b/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
> @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Intro to AMD Container Files:
> processor families 10h, 11h, 12h, 14h, and 15h.
> * There is one single file (container file) containing all microcode patches
> for AMD families 10h - 14h processors. [microcode_amd.bin]
> -* For AMD family 15h processors there is a separate container file. [microcode_amd_fam15h.bin]
> +* For AMD processor families 15h+, there is a separate container file. [microcode_amd_fam15h+.bin]
That replacement is not really suitable in a file name. Saying "[e.g. ..."
similarly to how it is being done further down would seem more useful.
Jan
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
* Re: [PATCH] docs, amd_ucode: Condense amd_ucode notes
2014-10-10 7:18 ` Jan Beulich
@ 2014-10-10 14:52 ` Aravind Gopalakrishnan
0 siblings, 0 replies; 3+ messages in thread
From: Aravind Gopalakrishnan @ 2014-10-10 14:52 UTC (permalink / raw
To: Jan Beulich
Cc: keir, ian.campbell, andrew.cooper3, ian.jackson, xen-devel,
boris.ostrovsky
On 10/10/2014 2:18 AM, Jan Beulich wrote:
>>>> On 08.10.14 at 00:34, <aravind.gopalakrishnan@amd.com> wrote:
>> Some cleanups to the documentation-
>> - Remove unnecessary steps listed to apply ucode using initrd.
>> - Condense 'Misc notes' section as well
>>
>> Suggested-by: Boris Ostrovsky <boris.ostrovsky@oracle.com>
>> Signed-off-by: Aravind Gopalakrishnan <aravind.gopalakrishnan@amd.com>
>> ---
>> docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt | 41 +++++++++++++--------------------------
>> 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt b/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
>> index ae3ceb0..b51b034 100644
>> --- a/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
>> +++ b/docs/misc/amd-ucode-container.txt
>> @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Intro to AMD Container Files:
>> processor families 10h, 11h, 12h, 14h, and 15h.
>> * There is one single file (container file) containing all microcode patches
>> for AMD families 10h - 14h processors. [microcode_amd.bin]
>> -* For AMD family 15h processors there is a separate container file. [microcode_amd_fam15h.bin]
>> +* For AMD processor families 15h+, there is a separate container file. [microcode_amd_fam15h+.bin]
> That replacement is not really suitable in a file name. Saying "[e.g. ..."
> similarly to how it is being done further down would seem more useful.
>
>
Hmm. Ok, I have reworded this to try to address yours and Boris' concerns.
Sending it out as V2.
Thanks,
-Aravind.
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
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2014-10-07 22:34 [PATCH] docs, amd_ucode: Condense amd_ucode notes Aravind Gopalakrishnan
2014-10-10 7:18 ` Jan Beulich
2014-10-10 14:52 ` Aravind Gopalakrishnan
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