[PATCH v8 09/11] KVM: arm64: PMU: Implement fixed-counters-only emulation

Akihiko Odaki odaki at rsg.ci.i.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Fri Jul 10 04:15:03 PDT 2026


Add internal state for PMUv3 emulation without programmable event
counters. When fixed-counters-only mode is active, KVM reports no
programmable counters and hides PMCEID, avoiding event-counter state
whose behavior can depend on the selected hardware PMU.

The cycle counter still uses a host perf event. Unlike the normal PMU
path, fixed-counters-only mode may create that event from the hardware
PMU attached to the VCPU's current pCPU. If the VCPU later loads on a
pCPU that is not covered by the existing event's PMU, request a PMU
reload so the cycle counter can be recreated against the new pCPU's PMU.
Keep this affinity check limited to fixed-counters-only VMs; the normal
programmable-counter mode continues to use the VM-wide PMU and does not
need per-load reload decisions.

Add a separate internal flag for explicit userspace PMU selection. The
UAPI wiring added later will use it to keep explicit PMU selection and
fixed-counters-only mode mutually exclusive while still allowing
fixed-counters-only mode to replace the default PMU selected during
KVM_ARM_VCPU_INIT.

The UAPI wiring that sets the fixed-counters-only flag and records
explicit PMU selection is added later in the series.

Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5.5
Signed-off-by: Akihiko Odaki <odaki at rsg.ci.i.u-tokyo.ac.jp>
---
 arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h |  4 +++
 arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c              |  2 ++
 arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c         | 69 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
 include/kvm/arm_pmu.h             |  2 ++
 4 files changed, 69 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index 0c39d9db7d57..aa07b05b8231 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -353,6 +353,10 @@ struct kvm_arch {
 #define KVM_ARCH_FLAG_WRITABLE_IMP_ID_REGS		10
 	/* Unhandled SEAs are taken to userspace */
 #define KVM_ARCH_FLAG_EXIT_SEA				11
+	/* PMUv3 is emulated with an explicitly specified hardware PMU */
+#define KVM_ARCH_FLAG_PMU_V3_EXPLICIT			12
+	/* PMUv3 is emulated without progammable event counters */
+#define KVM_ARCH_FLAG_PMU_V3_FIXED_COUNTERS_ONLY	13
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	/* VM-wide vCPU feature set */
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
index 58d0783f254d..b21bd8cf13c9 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
@@ -638,6 +638,7 @@ static bool kvm_vcpu_should_clear_twe(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 void kvm_arch_vcpu_load(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu)
 {
 	struct kvm_s2_mmu *mmu;
+	int last_cpu = vcpu->cpu;
 	int *last_ran;
 
 	if (is_protected_kvm_enabled())
@@ -687,6 +688,7 @@ void kvm_arch_vcpu_load(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu)
 	if (has_vhe())
 		kvm_vcpu_load_vhe(vcpu);
 	kvm_arch_vcpu_load_fp(vcpu);
+	kvm_vcpu_load_pmu(vcpu, last_cpu);
 	kvm_vcpu_pmu_restore_guest(vcpu);
 	if (kvm_arm_is_pvtime_enabled(&vcpu->arch))
 		kvm_make_request(KVM_REQ_RECORD_STEAL, vcpu);
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c
index 1dd8aa6a027d..1aa115aee781 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ u64 kvm_pmu_evtyper_mask(struct kvm *kvm)
 	return mask;
 }
 
+static bool kvm_pmu_fixed_counters_only(struct kvm *kvm)
+{
+	return test_bit(KVM_ARCH_FLAG_PMU_V3_FIXED_COUNTERS_ONLY, &kvm->arch.flags);
+}
+
 /**
  * kvm_pmc_is_64bit - determine if counter is 64bit
  * @pmc: counter context
@@ -330,7 +335,12 @@ u64 kvm_pmu_implemented_counter_mask(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 
 static void kvm_pmc_enable_perf_event(struct kvm_pmc *pmc)
 {
-	if (!pmc->perf_event) {
+	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = kvm_pmc_to_vcpu(pmc);
+
+	if (!pmc->perf_event ||
+	    (kvm_pmu_fixed_counters_only(vcpu->kvm) &&
+	     !cpumask_test_cpu(READ_ONCE(vcpu->cpu),
+			       &to_arm_pmu(pmc->perf_event->pmu)->supported_cpus))) {
 		kvm_pmu_create_perf_event(pmc);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -694,14 +704,10 @@ static struct arm_pmu *kvm_pmu_probe_armpmu(int cpu)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-/**
- * kvm_pmu_create_perf_event - create a perf event for a counter
- * @pmc: Counter context
- */
-static void kvm_pmu_create_perf_event(struct kvm_pmc *pmc)
+static void kvm_pmu_create_perf_event_with_pmu(struct kvm_pmc *pmc,
+					       struct arm_pmu *arm_pmu)
 {
 	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = kvm_pmc_to_vcpu(pmc);
-	struct arm_pmu *arm_pmu = vcpu->kvm->arch.arm_pmu;
 	struct perf_event *event;
 	struct perf_event_attr attr;
 	int eventsel;
@@ -735,7 +741,7 @@ static void kvm_pmu_create_perf_event(struct kvm_pmc *pmc)
 	 * Don't create an event if we're running on hardware that requires
 	 * PMUv3 event translation and we couldn't find a valid mapping.
 	 */
-	eventsel = kvm_map_pmu_event(vcpu->kvm->arch.arm_pmu, eventsel);
+	eventsel = kvm_map_pmu_event(arm_pmu, eventsel);
 	if (eventsel < 0)
 		return;
 
@@ -780,6 +786,29 @@ static void kvm_pmu_create_perf_event(struct kvm_pmc *pmc)
 	pmc->perf_event = event;
 }
 
+/**
+ * kvm_pmu_create_perf_event - create a perf event for a counter
+ * @pmc: Counter context
+ */
+static void kvm_pmu_create_perf_event(struct kvm_pmc *pmc)
+{
+	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = kvm_pmc_to_vcpu(pmc);
+	struct arm_pmu *arm_pmu = vcpu->kvm->arch.arm_pmu;
+
+	if (kvm_pmu_fixed_counters_only(vcpu->kvm)) {
+		do {
+			arm_pmu = kvm_pmu_probe_armpmu(READ_ONCE(vcpu->cpu));
+
+			if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!arm_pmu))
+				return;
+
+			kvm_pmu_create_perf_event_with_pmu(pmc, arm_pmu);
+		} while (!cpumask_test_cpu(READ_ONCE(vcpu->cpu), &arm_pmu->supported_cpus));
+	} else {
+		kvm_pmu_create_perf_event_with_pmu(pmc, arm_pmu);
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * kvm_pmu_set_counter_event_type - set selected counter to monitor some event
  * @vcpu: The vcpu pointer
@@ -813,6 +842,15 @@ void kvm_host_pmu_init(struct arm_pmu *pmu)
 	if (!pmuv3_implemented(kvm_arm_pmu_get_pmuver_limit()))
 		return;
 
+	/*
+	 * IMPDEF PMUv3 traps are non-architectural, and KVM cannot assume a
+	 * uniform PMUv3-compatible arm_pmu is available on all CPUs.
+	 */
+	if (cpus_have_final_cap(ARM64_WORKAROUND_PMUV3_IMPDEF_TRAPS)) {
+		kvm_info("Non-architectural PMU, tainting kernel\n");
+		add_taint(TAINT_CPU_OUT_OF_SPEC, LOCKDEP_STILL_OK);
+	}
+
 	guard(mutex)(&arm_pmus_lock);
 
 	entry = kmalloc_obj(*entry);
@@ -865,6 +903,9 @@ u64 kvm_pmu_get_pmceid(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, bool pmceid1)
 	u64 val, mask = 0;
 	int base, i, nr_events;
 
+	if (kvm_pmu_fixed_counters_only(vcpu->kvm))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (!pmceid1) {
 		val = compute_pmceid0(cpu_pmu);
 		base = 0;
@@ -892,6 +933,15 @@ u64 kvm_pmu_get_pmceid(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, bool pmceid1)
 	return val & mask;
 }
 
+void kvm_vcpu_load_pmu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int last_cpu)
+{
+	if (!kvm_pmu_fixed_counters_only(vcpu->kvm) || vcpu->cpu == last_cpu || last_cpu == -1)
+		return;
+
+	if (kvm_pmu_probe_armpmu(vcpu->cpu) != kvm_pmu_probe_armpmu(last_cpu))
+		kvm_make_request(KVM_REQ_RELOAD_PMU, vcpu);
+}
+
 void kvm_vcpu_reload_pmu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
 	u64 mask = kvm_pmu_implemented_counter_mask(vcpu);
@@ -1003,6 +1053,9 @@ u8 kvm_arm_pmu_get_max_counters(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
 	struct arm_pmu *arm_pmu = kvm->arch.arm_pmu;
 
+	if (kvm_pmu_fixed_counters_only(kvm))
+		return 0;
+
 	/*
 	 * PMUv3 requires that all event counters are capable of counting any
 	 * event, though the same may not be true of non-PMUv3 hardware.
diff --git a/include/kvm/arm_pmu.h b/include/kvm/arm_pmu.h
index 0a36a3d5c894..9720fbd0eeb4 100644
--- a/include/kvm/arm_pmu.h
+++ b/include/kvm/arm_pmu.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ void kvm_pmu_software_increment(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, u64 val);
 void kvm_pmu_handle_pmcr(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, u64 val);
 void kvm_pmu_set_counter_event_type(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, u64 data,
 				    u64 select_idx);
+void kvm_vcpu_load_pmu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int last_cpu);
 void kvm_vcpu_reload_pmu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
 int kvm_arm_pmu_v3_set_attr(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
 			    struct kvm_device_attr *attr);
@@ -164,6 +165,7 @@ static inline u64 kvm_pmu_get_pmceid(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, bool pmceid1)
 static inline void kvm_pmu_update_vcpu_events(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu) {}
 static inline void kvm_vcpu_pmu_restore_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu) {}
 static inline void kvm_vcpu_pmu_restore_host(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu) {}
+static inline void kvm_vcpu_load_pmu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int last_cpu) {}
 static inline void kvm_vcpu_reload_pmu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu) {}
 static inline u8 kvm_arm_pmu_get_pmuver_limit(void)
 {

-- 
2.55.0




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