+The use of workqueues has the advantage that the expedited +grace-period code need not worry about POSIX signals. +Unfortunately, it has the +corresponding disadvantage that workqueues cannot be used until +they are initialized, which does not happen until some time after +the scheduler spawns the first task. +Given that there are parts of the kernel that really do want to +execute grace periods during this mid-boot “dead zone”, +expedited grace periods must do something else during thie time. + +
+What they do is to fall back to the old practice of requiring that the +requesting task drive the expedited grace period, as was the case +before the use of workqueues. +However, the requesting task is only required to drive the grace period +during the mid-boot dead zone. +Before mid-boot, a synchronous grace period is a no-op. +Some time after mid-boot, workqueues are used. + +
+Non-expedited non-SRCU synchronous grace periods must also operate +normally during mid-boot. +This is handled by causing non-expedited grace periods to take the +expedited code path during mid-boot. + +
+The current code assumes that there are no POSIX signals during +the mid-boot dead zone. +However, if an overwhelming need for POSIX signals somehow arises, +appropriate adjustments can be made to the expedited stall-warning code. +One such adjustment would reinstate the pre-workqueue stall-warning +checks, but only during the mid-boot dead zone. + +
+With this refinement, synchronous grace periods can now be used from +task context pretty much any time during the life of the kernel. +