Commit ca90a7a3 authored by Jonathan Corbet's avatar Jonathan Corbet

docs: sphinxify kmemleak.txt and move it to dev-tools

Acked-by: default avatarCatalin Marinas <catalin.marinas@arm.com>
Signed-off-by: default avatarJonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
parent 1ead009c
Kernel Memory Leak Detector Kernel Memory Leak Detector
=========================== ===========================
Introduction
------------
Kmemleak provides a way of detecting possible kernel memory leaks in a Kmemleak provides a way of detecting possible kernel memory leaks in a
way similar to a tracing garbage collector way similar to a tracing garbage collector
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_collection_%28computer_science%29#Tracing_garbage_collectors), (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_collection_%28computer_science%29#Tracing_garbage_collectors),
with the difference that the orphan objects are not freed but only with the difference that the orphan objects are not freed but only
reported via /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak. A similar method is used by the reported via /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak. A similar method is used by the
Valgrind tool (memcheck --leak-check) to detect the memory leaks in Valgrind tool (``memcheck --leak-check``) to detect the memory leaks in
user-space applications. user-space applications.
Kmemleak is supported on x86, arm, powerpc, sparc, sh, microblaze, ppc, mips, s390, metag and tile. Kmemleak is supported on x86, arm, powerpc, sparc, sh, microblaze, ppc, mips, s390, metag and tile.
...@@ -19,20 +16,20 @@ Usage ...@@ -19,20 +16,20 @@ Usage
CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK in "Kernel hacking" has to be enabled. A kernel CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK in "Kernel hacking" has to be enabled. A kernel
thread scans the memory every 10 minutes (by default) and prints the thread scans the memory every 10 minutes (by default) and prints the
number of new unreferenced objects found. To display the details of all number of new unreferenced objects found. To display the details of all
the possible memory leaks: the possible memory leaks::
# mount -t debugfs nodev /sys/kernel/debug/ # mount -t debugfs nodev /sys/kernel/debug/
# cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
To trigger an intermediate memory scan: To trigger an intermediate memory scan::
# echo scan > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # echo scan > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
To clear the list of all current possible memory leaks: To clear the list of all current possible memory leaks::
# echo clear > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # echo clear > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
New leaks will then come up upon reading /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak New leaks will then come up upon reading ``/sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak``
again. again.
Note that the orphan objects are listed in the order they were allocated Note that the orphan objects are listed in the order they were allocated
...@@ -40,22 +37,31 @@ and one object at the beginning of the list may cause other subsequent ...@@ -40,22 +37,31 @@ and one object at the beginning of the list may cause other subsequent
objects to be reported as orphan. objects to be reported as orphan.
Memory scanning parameters can be modified at run-time by writing to the Memory scanning parameters can be modified at run-time by writing to the
/sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak file. The following parameters are supported: ``/sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak`` file. The following parameters are supported:
off - disable kmemleak (irreversible) - off
stack=on - enable the task stacks scanning (default) disable kmemleak (irreversible)
stack=off - disable the tasks stacks scanning - stack=on
scan=on - start the automatic memory scanning thread (default) enable the task stacks scanning (default)
scan=off - stop the automatic memory scanning thread - stack=off
scan=<secs> - set the automatic memory scanning period in seconds disable the tasks stacks scanning
(default 600, 0 to stop the automatic scanning) - scan=on
scan - trigger a memory scan start the automatic memory scanning thread (default)
clear - clear list of current memory leak suspects, done by - scan=off
marking all current reported unreferenced objects grey, stop the automatic memory scanning thread
or free all kmemleak objects if kmemleak has been disabled. - scan=<secs>
dump=<addr> - dump information about the object found at <addr> set the automatic memory scanning period in seconds
(default 600, 0 to stop the automatic scanning)
Kmemleak can also be disabled at boot-time by passing "kmemleak=off" on - scan
trigger a memory scan
- clear
clear list of current memory leak suspects, done by
marking all current reported unreferenced objects grey,
or free all kmemleak objects if kmemleak has been disabled.
- dump=<addr>
dump information about the object found at <addr>
Kmemleak can also be disabled at boot-time by passing ``kmemleak=off`` on
the kernel command line. the kernel command line.
Memory may be allocated or freed before kmemleak is initialised and Memory may be allocated or freed before kmemleak is initialised and
...@@ -63,13 +69,14 @@ these actions are stored in an early log buffer. The size of this buffer ...@@ -63,13 +69,14 @@ these actions are stored in an early log buffer. The size of this buffer
is configured via the CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK_EARLY_LOG_SIZE option. is configured via the CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK_EARLY_LOG_SIZE option.
If CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK_DEFAULT_OFF are enabled, the kmemleak is If CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK_DEFAULT_OFF are enabled, the kmemleak is
disabled by default. Passing "kmemleak=on" on the kernel command disabled by default. Passing ``kmemleak=on`` on the kernel command
line enables the function. line enables the function.
Basic Algorithm Basic Algorithm
--------------- ---------------
The memory allocations via kmalloc, vmalloc, kmem_cache_alloc and The memory allocations via :c:func:`kmalloc`, :c:func:`vmalloc`,
:c:func:`kmem_cache_alloc` and
friends are traced and the pointers, together with additional friends are traced and the pointers, together with additional
information like size and stack trace, are stored in a rbtree. information like size and stack trace, are stored in a rbtree.
The corresponding freeing function calls are tracked and the pointers The corresponding freeing function calls are tracked and the pointers
...@@ -113,13 +120,13 @@ when doing development. To work around these situations you can use the ...@@ -113,13 +120,13 @@ when doing development. To work around these situations you can use the
you can find new unreferenced objects; this should help with testing you can find new unreferenced objects; this should help with testing
specific sections of code. specific sections of code.
To test a critical section on demand with a clean kmemleak do: To test a critical section on demand with a clean kmemleak do::
# echo clear > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # echo clear > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
... test your kernel or modules ... ... test your kernel or modules ...
# echo scan > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # echo scan > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
Then as usual to get your report with: Then as usual to get your report with::
# cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
...@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ disabled by the user or due to an fatal error, internal kmemleak objects ...@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ disabled by the user or due to an fatal error, internal kmemleak objects
won't be freed when kmemleak is disabled, and those objects may occupy won't be freed when kmemleak is disabled, and those objects may occupy
a large part of physical memory. a large part of physical memory.
In this situation, you may reclaim memory with: In this situation, you may reclaim memory with::
# echo clear > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak # echo clear > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak
...@@ -140,20 +147,20 @@ Kmemleak API ...@@ -140,20 +147,20 @@ Kmemleak API
See the include/linux/kmemleak.h header for the functions prototype. See the include/linux/kmemleak.h header for the functions prototype.
kmemleak_init - initialize kmemleak - ``kmemleak_init`` - initialize kmemleak
kmemleak_alloc - notify of a memory block allocation - ``kmemleak_alloc`` - notify of a memory block allocation
kmemleak_alloc_percpu - notify of a percpu memory block allocation - ``kmemleak_alloc_percpu`` - notify of a percpu memory block allocation
kmemleak_free - notify of a memory block freeing - ``kmemleak_free`` - notify of a memory block freeing
kmemleak_free_part - notify of a partial memory block freeing - ``kmemleak_free_part`` - notify of a partial memory block freeing
kmemleak_free_percpu - notify of a percpu memory block freeing - ``kmemleak_free_percpu`` - notify of a percpu memory block freeing
kmemleak_update_trace - update object allocation stack trace - ``kmemleak_update_trace`` - update object allocation stack trace
kmemleak_not_leak - mark an object as not a leak - ``kmemleak_not_leak`` - mark an object as not a leak
kmemleak_ignore - do not scan or report an object as leak - ``kmemleak_ignore`` - do not scan or report an object as leak
kmemleak_scan_area - add scan areas inside a memory block - ``kmemleak_scan_area`` - add scan areas inside a memory block
kmemleak_no_scan - do not scan a memory block - ``kmemleak_no_scan`` - do not scan a memory block
kmemleak_erase - erase an old value in a pointer variable - ``kmemleak_erase`` - erase an old value in a pointer variable
kmemleak_alloc_recursive - as kmemleak_alloc but checks the recursiveness - ``kmemleak_alloc_recursive`` - as kmemleak_alloc but checks the recursiveness
kmemleak_free_recursive - as kmemleak_free but checks the recursiveness - ``kmemleak_free_recursive`` - as kmemleak_free but checks the recursiveness
Dealing with false positives/negatives Dealing with false positives/negatives
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
......
...@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ whole; patches welcome! ...@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ whole; patches welcome!
gcov gcov
kasan kasan
ubsan ubsan
kmemleak
...@@ -6812,7 +6812,7 @@ F: mm/kmemcheck.c ...@@ -6812,7 +6812,7 @@ F: mm/kmemcheck.c
KMEMLEAK KMEMLEAK
M: Catalin Marinas <catalin.marinas@arm.com> M: Catalin Marinas <catalin.marinas@arm.com>
S: Maintained S: Maintained
F: Documentation/kmemleak.txt F: Documentation/dev-tools/kmemleak.rst
F: include/linux/kmemleak.h F: include/linux/kmemleak.h
F: mm/kmemleak.c F: mm/kmemleak.c
F: mm/kmemleak-test.c F: mm/kmemleak-test.c
......
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