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  1. JDK
  2. JDK-8288719

[arm32] SafeFetch32 thumb interleaving causes random crashes

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    • b04
    • aarch32

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        JDK-8283326 re-implemented SafeFetch as static assembler functions. This broke arm: the VM would crash at random points, usually in Atomic::add(), usually right at startup. In most cases the VM could not even be built correctly, see JDK-8284997.

        This was only reproducible if the VM was built natively, on a Raspberry Pi, inside an Ubuntu18-derived container. Buiding natively on Raspberry Pi OS was fine. Cross-building was fine too. The difference is the default instruction set the toolchain uses. We don't explicitly specify `-mthumb` or `-marm`, so we use the toolchain's default. That default seems to depend on how GCC itself was built. Ubuntu ships a GCC that has been built in thumb mode, thus defaulting to `-mthumb`, whereas Rasperry Pi OS and Fedora ship GCCs that default to `-marm`.

        So, the VM proper is compiled either to arm or thumb code. The `SafeFetch32` assembly function itself uses arm code always. Why this is I don't know for sure, I assume if I wanted thumb I need to specify `.thumb_func` in the assembly.

        If the VM uses thumb, it needs to call SafeFetch32 with a switching branch instruction (BX). But the compiler-generated BL. The instruction set was not switched upon entering SafeFetch32 and garbage thumb code was executed. VM crashes soon after.

        This seems to be a common problem when writing arm assembly by hand, the solution is specify `.type function`. See also [1]: "As of GCC 4.7, the .type directive is pretty much required for functions. Or, rather, it is required if you want ARM and Thumb interworking to work."

        A remaining question is whether we should specify the instruction set explicitly when building on arm32, to prevent surprises like this. Preferably with a configure option.

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                stuefe Thomas Stuefe
                stuefe Thomas Stuefe
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