9 Sep
2022
9 Sep
'22
5:45 p.m.
Hi Takashi,
commit 7206998f578d ("ALSA: hda: Fix potential deadlock at codec unbinding") introduced a problem on at least one of my older machines.
The problem happens when hda_codec_driver_remove() encounters a codec without any pcms (and thus the refcount is 1) and tries to call refcount_dec(). Turns out refcount_dec() doesn't like to be used for dropping the refcount to 0, and instead if spews a warning and does its saturate thing. The subsequent wait_event() is then permanently stuck waiting on the saturated refcount.
I've definitely seen the same kind of pattern used elsewhere in the kernel as well, so the fact that refcount_t can't be used to implement it is a bit of surprise to me. I guess most other places still use atomic_t instead.
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Ville Syrjälä
Intel