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Re: [PATCH RFC] x86/PV: avoid HVM-copying alternatives in PV-only code


  • To: Jan Beulich <jbeulich@xxxxxxxx>, "xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • From: Andrew Cooper <andrew.cooper3@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:07:09 +0100
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  • Cc: Andrew Cooper <andrew.cooper3@xxxxxxxxxx>, Roger Pau Monné <roger.pau@xxxxxxxxxx>, Teddy Astie <teddy.astie@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • Delivery-date: Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:07:38 +0000
  • List-id: Xen developer discussion <xen-devel.lists.xenproject.org>

On 30/06/2026 2:38 pm, Jan Beulich wrote:
> --- a/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
> +++ b/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
> @@ -14,11 +14,15 @@
>  
>  /* Raw access functions: no type checking. */
>  #define raw_copy_to_guest(dst, src, len)        \
> -    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
> +    ((IS_ENABLED(HVM_ONLY_SOURCE) ||            \
> +      (!IS_ENABLED(PV_ONLY_SOURCE) &&           \
> +       is_hvm_vcpu(current))) ?                 \
>       copy_to_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :    \
>       copy_to_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
>  #define raw_copy_from_guest(dst, src, len)      \
> -    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
> +    ((IS_ENABLED(HVM_ONLY_SOURCE) ||            \
> +      (!IS_ENABLED(PV_ONLY_SOURCE) &&           \
> +       is_hvm_vcpu(current))) ?                 \
>       copy_from_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :  \
>       copy_from_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
>  #define raw_clear_guest(dst,  len)              \
> @@ -26,11 +30,15 @@
>       clear_user_hvm((dst), (len)) :             \
>       clear_guest_pv(dst, len))
>  #define __raw_copy_to_guest(dst, src, len)      \
> -    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
> +    ((IS_ENABLED(HVM_ONLY_SOURCE) ||            \
> +      (!IS_ENABLED(PV_ONLY_SOURCE) &&           \
> +       is_hvm_vcpu(current))) ?                 \
>       copy_to_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :    \
>       __copy_to_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
>  #define __raw_copy_from_guest(dst, src, len)    \
> -    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
> +    ((IS_ENABLED(HVM_ONLY_SOURCE) ||            \
> +      (!IS_ENABLED(PV_ONLY_SOURCE) &&           \
> +       is_hvm_vcpu(current))) ?                 \
>       copy_from_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :  \
>       __copy_from_guest_pv(dst, src, len))

Looking back at my own attempt to do this, which was from August 2024, I
started by cleaning up this code block as such:

diff --git a/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h 
b/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
index 69716c8b41bb..49920e181832 100644
--- a/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
+++ b/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
@@ -12,27 +12,33 @@
 #include <asm/hvm/support.h>
 #include <asm/hvm/guest_access.h>
 
+#define GUEST_ACCESS_HVM is_hvm_vcpu(current)
+
 /* Raw access functions: no type checking. */
 #define raw_copy_to_guest(dst, src, len)        \
-    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
-     copy_to_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :    \
-     copy_to_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+    (GUEST_ACCESS_HVM                           \
+     ? copy_to_user_hvm(dst, src, len)          \
+     : copy_to_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+
 #define raw_copy_from_guest(dst, src, len)      \
-    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
-     copy_from_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :  \
-     copy_from_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+    (GUEST_ACCESS_HVM                           \
+     ? copy_from_user_hvm(dst, src, len)        \
+     : copy_from_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+
 #define raw_clear_guest(dst,  len)              \
-    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
-     clear_user_hvm((dst), (len)) :             \
-     clear_guest_pv(dst, len))
+    (GUEST_ACCESS_HVM                           \
+     ? clear_user_hvm(dst, len)                 \
+     : clear_guest_pv(dst, len))
+
 #define __raw_copy_to_guest(dst, src, len)      \
-    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
-     copy_to_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :    \
-     __copy_to_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+    (GUEST_ACCESS_HVM                           \
+     ?   copy_to_user_hvm(dst, src, len)        \
+     : __copy_to_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+
 #define __raw_copy_from_guest(dst, src, len)    \
-    (is_hvm_vcpu(current) ?                     \
-     copy_from_user_hvm((dst), (src), (len)) :  \
-     __copy_from_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
+    (GUEST_ACCESS_HVM                           \
+     ?   copy_from_user_hvm(dst, src, len)      \
+     : __copy_from_guest_pv(dst, src, len))
 
 /*
  * Pre-validate a guest handle.



so they're all consistent and legible, then extended GUEST_ACCESS_HVM to:

diff --git a/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h 
b/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
index 49920e181832..eba47e46de88 100644
--- a/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
+++ b/xen/arch/x86/include/asm/guest_access.h
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@
 #include <asm/hvm/support.h>
 #include <asm/hvm/guest_access.h>
 
-#define GUEST_ACCESS_HVM is_hvm_vcpu(current)
+#define GUEST_ACCESS_HVM                        \
+    (IS_ENABLED(GA_ALWAYS_PV)                   \
+     ? 0                                        \
+     : (IS_ENABLED(GA_ALWAYS_HVM)               \
+        ? 1                                     \
+        : is_hvm_vcpu(current)))                \
 
 /* Raw access functions: no type checking. */
 #define raw_copy_to_guest(dst, src, len)        \



to allow ways to force it one way or another.

For forcing it one way or another, while ...


>  
> --- a/xen/arch/x86/mm.c
> +++ b/xen/arch/x86/mm.c
> @@ -3407,6 +3407,9 @@ int new_guest_cr3(mfn_t mfn)
>  #endif
>  
>  #ifdef CONFIG_PV
> +
> +#define PV_ONLY_SOURCE 1
> +

... mm.c is certainly complicated, others like ...

> --- a/xen/arch/x86/pv/callback.c
> +++ b/xen/arch/x86/pv/callback.c
> @@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
>   * hypercall handles and helper functions for guest callback
>   */
>  
> +#define PV_ONLY_SOURCE 1
> +
>  #include <xen/event.h>
>  #include <xen/hypercall.h>
>  #include <xen/guest_access.h>
> --- a/xen/arch/x86/pv/descriptor-tables.c
> +++ b/xen/arch/x86/pv/descriptor-tables.c
> @@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
>   * Copyright (c) 2004 Christian Limpach
>   */
>  
> +#define PV_ONLY_SOURCE 1
> +
>  #include <xen/guest_access.h>
>  #include <xen/hypercall.h>
>  
> --- a/xen/arch/x86/pv/shim.c
> +++ b/xen/arch/x86/pv/shim.c
> @@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
>   *
>   * Copyright (c) 2017 Citrix Systems Ltd.
>   */
> +
> +#define PV_ONLY_SOURCE 1
> +
>  #include <xen/event.h>
>  #include <xen/guest_access.h>
>  #include <xen/hypercall.h>

all of these could have a general CFLAGS += in arch/x86/pv/Makefile
rather than having to state it in every file.

Naming wise, while PV_ONLY_SOURCE works in pv/, it's more dubious in
arch/x86/mm.c.  GUEST_ACCESS_* at least identifies the property that's
being decided upon.

~Andrew



 


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