Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 4 Sep 1999 23:17:54 +0100 (GMT) | From | Riley Williams <> | Subject | Re: SMP linux help |
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Hi Nate.
> I have been wondering about the locking stuff for a while too. > These are probably dumb questions but my OS terminology is not > what it could be. (Is there a good reference somewhere?)
> * Does "lock the kernel" mean "prevent anyone else from > executing any kernel code"?
I'm not 100% certain, but my understanding is that "lock the kernel" means "prevent anybody else ON THIS PROCESSOR from executing any kernel code", which is slightly different from your definition.
> * If so, what happens if some other CPU is already inside the > kernel? Is there some mechanism to stop the other CPU??
Presumably not applicable - I believe that's what spinlocks are for, and is also why both are needed in certain parts of the kernel.
Best wishes from Riley.
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