0.9.7.12:
[sbcl.git] / src / runtime / thread.c
index 2a6bc40..821e4a2 100644 (file)
 
 #define ALIEN_STACK_SIZE (1*1024*1024) /* 1Mb size chosen at random */
 
+struct freeable_stack {
+    os_thread_t os_thread;
+    os_vm_address_t stack;
+};
+
+static struct freeable_stack * volatile freeable_stack = 0;
+
 int dynamic_values_bytes=4096*sizeof(lispobj);  /* same for all threads */
-struct thread *all_threads;
-volatile lispobj all_threads_lock;
+struct thread * volatile all_threads;
 extern struct interrupt_data * global_interrupt_data;
 extern int linux_no_threads_p;
 
 #ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
-/* When trying to get all_threads_lock one should make sure that
- * sig_stop_for_gc is not blocked. Else there would be a possible
- * deadlock: gc locks it, other thread blocks signals, gc sends stop
- * request to other thread and waits, other thread blocks on lock. */
-void check_sig_stop_for_gc_can_arrive_or_lose()
-{
-    /* Get the current sigmask, by blocking the empty set. */
-    sigset_t empty,current;
-    sigemptyset(&empty);
-    thread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &empty, &current);
-    if (sigismember(&current,SIG_STOP_FOR_GC))
-        lose("SIG_STOP_FOR_GC is blocked\n");
-    if (SymbolValue(INTERRUPTS_ENABLED,arch_os_get_current_thread()) == NIL)
-        lose("interrupts disabled\n");
-    if (arch_pseudo_atomic_atomic(NULL))
-        lose("n pseudo atomic\n");
-}
-
-#ifdef QSHOW_SIGNALS
-#define FSHOW_SIGNAL FSHOW
-#else
-#define FSHOW_SIGNAL(args)
+pthread_mutex_t all_threads_lock = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 #endif
 
-#define GET_ALL_THREADS_LOCK(name) \
-    { \
-        sigset_t _newset,_oldset; \
-        sigemptyset(&_newset); \
-        sigaddset_blockable(&_newset); \
-        sigdelset(&_newset,SIG_STOP_FOR_GC); \
-        thread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &_newset, &_oldset); \
-        check_sig_stop_for_gc_can_arrive_or_lose(); \
-        FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/%s:waiting on lock=%ld, thread=%ld\n",name, \
-               all_threads_lock,arch_os_get_current_thread()->os_thread)); \
-        get_spinlock(&all_threads_lock,(long)arch_os_get_current_thread()); \
-        FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/%s:got lock, thread=%ld\n", \
-               name,arch_os_get_current_thread()->os_thread));
-
-#define RELEASE_ALL_THREADS_LOCK(name) \
-        FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/%s:released lock\n",name)); \
-        release_spinlock(&all_threads_lock); \
-        thread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK,&_oldset,0); \
-    }
+#if defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86) || defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86_64)
+extern lispobj call_into_lisp_first_time(lispobj fun, lispobj *args, int nargs);
 #endif
 
+static void
+link_thread(struct thread *th)
+{
+    if (all_threads) all_threads->prev=th;
+    th->next=all_threads;
+    th->prev=0;
+    all_threads=th;
+}
 
-#if defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86) || defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86_64)
-extern lispobj call_into_lisp_first_time(lispobj fun, lispobj *args, int nargs);
+#ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
+static void
+unlink_thread(struct thread *th)
+{
+    if (th->prev)
+        th->prev->next = th->next;
+    else
+        all_threads = th->next;
+    if (th->next)
+        th->next->prev = th->prev;
+}
 #endif
 
-int
+static int
 initial_thread_trampoline(struct thread *th)
 {
     lispobj function;
 #if defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86) || defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86_64)
     lispobj *args = NULL;
 #endif
-    function = th->unbound_marker;
-    th->unbound_marker = UNBOUND_MARKER_WIDETAG;
+    function = th->no_tls_value_marker;
+    th->no_tls_value_marker = NO_TLS_VALUE_MARKER_WIDETAG;
     if(arch_os_thread_init(th)==0) return 1;
+    link_thread(th);
+    th->os_thread=thread_self();
+    protect_control_stack_guard_page(1);
 
-    if(th->os_thread < 1) lose("th->os_thread not set up right");
-    th->state=STATE_RUNNING;
 #if defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86) || defined(LISP_FEATURE_X86_64)
     return call_into_lisp_first_time(function,args,0);
 #else
@@ -102,8 +88,38 @@ initial_thread_trampoline(struct thread *th)
 #endif
 }
 
+#define THREAD_STRUCT_SIZE (THREAD_CONTROL_STACK_SIZE + BINDING_STACK_SIZE + \
+                            ALIEN_STACK_SIZE + dynamic_values_bytes + \
+                            32 * SIGSTKSZ)
+
 #ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
 
+static void
+free_thread_stack_later(struct thread *thread_to_be_cleaned_up)
+{
+    struct freeable_stack *new_freeable_stack = 0;
+    if (thread_to_be_cleaned_up) {
+        new_freeable_stack = (struct freeable_stack *)
+            os_validate(0, sizeof(struct freeable_stack));
+        new_freeable_stack->os_thread = thread_to_be_cleaned_up->os_thread;
+        new_freeable_stack->stack = (os_vm_address_t)
+            thread_to_be_cleaned_up->control_stack_start;
+    }
+    new_freeable_stack = (struct freeable_stack *)
+        swap_lispobjs((lispobj *)(void *)&freeable_stack,
+                      (lispobj)new_freeable_stack);
+    if (new_freeable_stack) {
+        FSHOW((stderr,"/reaping %lu\n", new_freeable_stack->os_thread));
+        /* Under NPTL pthread_join really waits until the thread
+         * exists and the stack can be safely freed. This is sadly not
+         * mandated by the pthread spec. */
+        gc_assert(pthread_join(new_freeable_stack->os_thread, NULL) == 0);
+        os_invalidate(new_freeable_stack->stack, THREAD_STRUCT_SIZE);
+        os_invalidate((os_vm_address_t) new_freeable_stack,
+                      sizeof(struct freeable_stack));
+    }
+}
+
 /* this is the first thing that runs in the child (which is why the
  * silly calling convention).  Basically it calls the user's requested
  * lisp function after doing arch_os_thread_init and whatever other
@@ -113,37 +129,73 @@ int
 new_thread_trampoline(struct thread *th)
 {
     lispobj function;
-    function = th->unbound_marker;
-    th->unbound_marker = UNBOUND_MARKER_WIDETAG;
-    if(arch_os_thread_init(th)==0) return 1;
+    int result;
+    FSHOW((stderr,"/creating thread %lu\n", thread_self()));
+    function = th->no_tls_value_marker;
+    th->no_tls_value_marker = NO_TLS_VALUE_MARKER_WIDETAG;
+    if(arch_os_thread_init(th)==0) {
+        /* FIXME: handle error */
+        lose("arch_os_thread_init failed\n");
+    }
 
-    /* wait here until our thread is linked into all_threads: see below */
-    while(th->os_thread<1) sched_yield();
+    th->os_thread=thread_self();
+    protect_control_stack_guard_page(1);
+    /* Since GC can only know about this thread from the all_threads
+     * list and we're just adding this thread to it there is no danger
+     * of deadlocking even with SIG_STOP_FOR_GC blocked (which it is
+     * not). */
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&all_threads_lock);
+    link_thread(th);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&all_threads_lock);
+
+    result = funcall0(function);
+    th->state=STATE_DEAD;
+
+    /* SIG_STOP_FOR_GC is blocked and GC might be waiting for this
+     * thread, but since we are already dead it won't wait long. */
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&all_threads_lock);
+    gc_alloc_update_page_tables(0, &th->alloc_region);
+    unlink_thread(th);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&all_threads_lock);
 
-    th->state=STATE_RUNNING;
-    return funcall0(function);
+    if(th->tls_cookie>=0) arch_os_thread_cleanup(th);
+    os_invalidate((os_vm_address_t)th->interrupt_data,
+                  (sizeof (struct interrupt_data)));
+    free_thread_stack_later(th);
+    FSHOW((stderr,"/exiting thread %lu\n", thread_self()));
+    return result;
 }
+
 #endif /* LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD */
 
+static void
+free_thread_struct(struct thread *th)
+{
+    if (th->interrupt_data)
+        os_invalidate((os_vm_address_t) th->interrupt_data,
+                      (sizeof (struct interrupt_data)));
+    os_invalidate((os_vm_address_t) th->control_stack_start,
+                  THREAD_STRUCT_SIZE);
+}
+
 /* this is called from any other thread to create the new one, and
  * initialize all parts of it that can be initialized from another
  * thread
  */
 
-struct thread * create_thread_struct(lispobj initial_function) {
+static struct thread *
+create_thread_struct(lispobj initial_function) {
     union per_thread_data *per_thread;
     struct thread *th=0;        /*  subdue gcc */
     void *spaces=0;
+#ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
+    int i;
+#endif
 
     /* may as well allocate all the spaces at once: it saves us from
      * having to decide what to do if only some of the allocations
      * succeed */
-    spaces=os_validate(0,
-                       THREAD_CONTROL_STACK_SIZE+
-                       BINDING_STACK_SIZE+
-                       ALIEN_STACK_SIZE+
-                       dynamic_values_bytes+
-                       32*SIGSTKSZ);
+    spaces=os_validate(0, THREAD_STRUCT_SIZE);
     if(!spaces)
          return NULL;
     per_thread=(union per_thread_data *)
@@ -152,20 +204,19 @@ struct thread * create_thread_struct(lispobj initial_function) {
          BINDING_STACK_SIZE+
          ALIEN_STACK_SIZE);
 
-    if(all_threads) {
-        memcpy(per_thread,arch_os_get_current_thread(),
-               dynamic_values_bytes);
-    } else {
 #ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
-        int i;
-        for(i=0;i<(dynamic_values_bytes/sizeof(lispobj));i++)
-            per_thread->dynamic_values[i]=UNBOUND_MARKER_WIDETAG;
-        if(SymbolValue(FREE_TLS_INDEX,0)==UNBOUND_MARKER_WIDETAG)
+    for(i = 0; i < (dynamic_values_bytes / sizeof(lispobj)); i++)
+        per_thread->dynamic_values[i] = NO_TLS_VALUE_MARKER_WIDETAG;
+    if (all_threads == 0) {
+        if(SymbolValue(FREE_TLS_INDEX,0)==UNBOUND_MARKER_WIDETAG) {
             SetSymbolValue
                 (FREE_TLS_INDEX,
+                 /* FIXME: should be MAX_INTERRUPTS -1 ? */
                  make_fixnum(MAX_INTERRUPTS+
                              sizeof(struct thread)/sizeof(lispobj)),
                  0);
+            SetSymbolValue(TLS_INDEX_LOCK,make_fixnum(0),0);
+        }
 #define STATIC_TLS_INIT(sym,field) \
   ((struct symbol *)(sym-OTHER_POINTER_LOWTAG))->tls_index= \
   make_fixnum(THREAD_SLOT_OFFSET_WORDS(field))
@@ -180,8 +231,8 @@ struct thread * create_thread_struct(lispobj initial_function) {
         STATIC_TLS_INIT(PSEUDO_ATOMIC_INTERRUPTED,pseudo_atomic_interrupted);
 #endif
 #undef STATIC_TLS_INIT
-#endif
     }
+#endif
 
     th=&per_thread->thread;
     th->control_stack_start = spaces;
@@ -193,9 +244,7 @@ struct thread * create_thread_struct(lispobj initial_function) {
     th->binding_stack_pointer=th->binding_stack_start;
     th->this=th;
     th->os_thread=0;
-    th->interrupt_fun=NIL;
-    th->interrupt_fun_lock=0;
-    th->state=STATE_STARTING;
+    th->state=STATE_RUNNING;
 #ifdef LISP_FEATURE_STACK_GROWS_DOWNWARD_NOT_UPWARD
     th->alien_stack_pointer=((void *)th->alien_stack_start
                              + ALIEN_STACK_SIZE-N_WORD_BYTES);
@@ -235,50 +284,34 @@ struct thread * create_thread_struct(lispobj initial_function) {
     bind_variable(FREE_INTERRUPT_CONTEXT_INDEX,make_fixnum(0),th);
     bind_variable(INTERRUPT_PENDING, NIL,th);
     bind_variable(INTERRUPTS_ENABLED,T,th);
+    bind_variable(GC_PENDING,NIL,th);
+#ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
+    bind_variable(STOP_FOR_GC_PENDING,NIL,th);
+#endif
 
     th->interrupt_data = (struct interrupt_data *)
         os_validate(0,(sizeof (struct interrupt_data)));
-    if(all_threads)
-        memcpy(th->interrupt_data,
-               arch_os_get_current_thread()->interrupt_data,
-               sizeof (struct interrupt_data));
-    else
-        memcpy(th->interrupt_data,global_interrupt_data,
-               sizeof (struct interrupt_data));
-
-    th->unbound_marker=initial_function;
+    if (!th->interrupt_data) {
+        free_thread_struct(th);
+        return 0;
+    }
+    th->interrupt_data->pending_handler = 0;
+    th->no_tls_value_marker=initial_function;
     return th;
 }
 
-void link_thread(struct thread *th,os_thread_t kid_tid)
-{
-    if (all_threads) all_threads->prev=th;
-    th->next=all_threads;
-    th->prev=0;
-    all_threads=th;
-    /* note that th->os_thread is 0 at this time.  We rely on
-     * all_threads_lock to ensure that we don't have >1 thread with
-     * os_thread=0 on the list at once
-     */
-    protect_control_stack_guard_page(th,1);
-    /* child will not start until this is set */
-    th->os_thread=kid_tid;
-}
-
 void create_initial_thread(lispobj initial_function) {
     struct thread *th=create_thread_struct(initial_function);
-    os_thread_t kid_tid=thread_self();
-    if(th && kid_tid>0) {
-        link_thread(th,kid_tid);
-        initial_thread_trampoline(all_threads); /* no return */
-    } else lose("can't create initial thread");
+    if(th) {
+        initial_thread_trampoline(th); /* no return */
+    } else lose("can't create initial thread\n");
 }
 
 #ifdef LISP_FEATURE_SB_THREAD
 
 #ifndef __USE_XOPEN2K
 extern int pthread_attr_setstack (pthread_attr_t *__attr, void *__stackaddr,
-                                 size_t __stacksize);
+                                  size_t __stacksize);
 #endif
 
 boolean create_os_thread(struct thread *th,os_thread_t *kid_tid)
@@ -289,7 +322,10 @@ boolean create_os_thread(struct thread *th,os_thread_t *kid_tid)
     sigset_t newset,oldset;
     boolean r=1;
     sigemptyset(&newset);
-    sigaddset_blockable(&newset);
+    /* Blocking deferrable signals is enough, no need to block
+     * SIG_STOP_FOR_GC because the child process is not linked onto
+     * all_threads until it's ready. */
+    sigaddset_deferrable(&newset);
     thread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &newset, &oldset);
 
     if((pthread_attr_init(&attr)) ||
@@ -302,112 +338,59 @@ boolean create_os_thread(struct thread *th,os_thread_t *kid_tid)
     return r;
 }
 
-struct thread *create_thread(lispobj initial_function) {
+os_thread_t create_thread(lispobj initial_function) {
     struct thread *th;
-    os_thread_t kid_tid=0;
-    boolean success;
+    os_thread_t kid_tid;
 
     if(linux_no_threads_p) return 0;
 
-    th=create_thread_struct(initial_function);
+    /* Assuming that a fresh thread struct has no lisp objects in it,
+     * linking it to all_threads can be left to the thread itself
+     * without fear of gc lossage. initial_function violates this
+     * assumption and must stay pinned until the child starts up. */
+    th = create_thread_struct(initial_function);
     if(th==0) return 0;
 
-    /* we must not be interrupted here after a successful
-     * create_os_thread, because the kid will be waiting for its
-     * thread struct to be linked */
-    GET_ALL_THREADS_LOCK("create_thread")
-
-    success=create_os_thread(th,&kid_tid);
-    if (success)
-        link_thread(th,kid_tid);
-    else
-        os_invalidate((os_vm_address_t) th->control_stack_start,
-                      ((sizeof (lispobj))
-                       * (th->control_stack_end-th->control_stack_start)) +
-                      BINDING_STACK_SIZE+ALIEN_STACK_SIZE+dynamic_values_bytes+
-                      32*SIGSTKSZ);
-
-    RELEASE_ALL_THREADS_LOCK("create_thread")
-
-    if (success)
-        return th;
-    else
+    if (create_os_thread(th,&kid_tid)) {
+        return kid_tid;
+    } else {
+        free_thread_struct(th);
         return 0;
+    }
 }
 
-/* called from lisp from the thread object finalizer */
-void reap_dead_thread(struct thread *th)
+/* Send the signo to os_thread, retry if the rt signal queue is
+ * full. */
+static int kill_thread_safely(os_thread_t os_thread, int signo)
 {
-    if(th->state!=STATE_DEAD)
-        lose("thread %p is not joinable, state=%d\n",th,th->state);
-#ifdef LISP_FEATURE_GENCGC
-    {
-        sigset_t newset,oldset;
-        sigemptyset(&newset);
-        sigaddset_blockable(&newset);
-        thread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &newset, &oldset);
-        gc_alloc_update_page_tables(0, &th->alloc_region);
-        release_spinlock(&all_threads_lock);
-        thread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK,&oldset,0);
+    int r;
+    /* The man page does not mention EAGAIN as a valid return value
+     * for either pthread_kill or kill. But that's theory, this is
+     * practice. By waiting here we assume that the delivery of this
+     * signal is not necessary for the delivery of the signals in the
+     * queue. In other words, we _assume_ there are no deadlocks. */
+    while ((r=pthread_kill(os_thread,signo))==EAGAIN) {
+        /* wait a bit then try again in the hope of the rt signal
+         * queue not being full */
+        FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/rt signal queue full\n"));
+        /* FIXME: some kind of backoff (random, exponential) would be
+         * nice. */
+        sleep(1);
     }
-#endif
-    GET_ALL_THREADS_LOCK("reap_dead_thread")
-    FSHOW((stderr,"/reap_dead_thread: reaping %ld\n",th->os_thread));
-    if(th->prev)
-        th->prev->next=th->next;
-    else all_threads=th->next;
-    if(th->next)
-        th->next->prev=th->prev;
-    RELEASE_ALL_THREADS_LOCK("reap_dead_thread")
-    if(th->tls_cookie>=0) arch_os_thread_cleanup(th);
-    gc_assert(pthread_join(th->os_thread,NULL)==0);
-    os_invalidate((os_vm_address_t) th->control_stack_start,
-                  ((sizeof (lispobj))
-                   * (th->control_stack_end-th->control_stack_start)) +
-                  BINDING_STACK_SIZE+ALIEN_STACK_SIZE+dynamic_values_bytes+
-                  32*SIGSTKSZ);
+    return r;
 }
 
-int interrupt_thread(struct thread *th, lispobj function)
+int signal_interrupt_thread(os_thread_t os_thread)
 {
-    /* A thread may also become dead after this test. */
-    if ((th->state != STATE_DEAD)) {
-        /* In clone_threads, if A and B both interrupt C at
-         * approximately the same time, it does not matter: the
-         * second signal will be masked until the handler has
-         * returned from the first one.  In pthreads though, we
-         * can't put the knowledge of what function to call into
-         * the siginfo, so we have to store it in the destination
-         * thread, and do it in such a way that A won't clobber
-         * B's interrupt.  Hence this stupid linked list.
-         *
-         * This does depend on SIG_INTERRUPT_THREAD being queued
-         * (as POSIX RT signals are): we need to keep
-         * interrupt_fun data for exactly as many signals as are
-         * going to be received by the destination thread.
-         */
-        lispobj c=alloc_cons(function,NIL);
-        int kill_status;
-        /* interrupt_thread_handler locks this spinlock with
-         * interrupts blocked and it does so for the sake of
-         * arrange_return_to_lisp_function, so we must also block
-         * them. */
-        sigset_t newset,oldset;
-        sigemptyset(&newset);
-        sigaddset_blockable(&newset);
-        thread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &newset, &oldset);
-        get_spinlock(&th->interrupt_fun_lock,
-                     (long)arch_os_get_current_thread());
-        kill_status=thread_kill(th->os_thread,SIG_INTERRUPT_THREAD);
-        if(kill_status==0) {
-            ((struct cons *)native_pointer(c))->cdr=th->interrupt_fun;
-            th->interrupt_fun=c;
-        }
-        release_spinlock(&th->interrupt_fun_lock);
-        thread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK,&oldset,0);
-        return (kill_status ? -1 : 0);
+    int status = kill_thread_safely(os_thread, SIG_INTERRUPT_THREAD);
+    if (status == 0) {
+        return 0;
+    } else if (status == ESRCH) {
+        return -1;
+    } else {
+        lose("cannot send SIG_INTERRUPT_THREAD to thread=%lu: %d, %s\n",
+             os_thread, status, strerror(status));
     }
-    errno=EPERM; return -1;
 }
 
 /* stopping the world is a two-stage process.  From this thread we signal
@@ -422,34 +405,35 @@ int interrupt_thread(struct thread *th, lispobj function)
 void gc_stop_the_world()
 {
     struct thread *p,*th=arch_os_get_current_thread();
-    FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:waiting on lock, thread=%ld\n",
+    int status;
+    FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:waiting on lock, thread=%lu\n",
                   th->os_thread));
     /* keep threads from starting while the world is stopped. */
-    get_spinlock(&all_threads_lock,(long)th);
-    FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:got lock, thread=%ld\n",
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&all_threads_lock); \
+    FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:got lock, thread=%lu\n",
                   th->os_thread));
     /* stop all other threads by sending them SIG_STOP_FOR_GC */
     for(p=all_threads; p; p=p->next) {
-        while(p->state==STATE_STARTING) sched_yield();
-        if((p!=th) && (p->state==STATE_RUNNING)) {
-            FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:sending sig_stop to %ld\n",
+        gc_assert(p->os_thread != 0);
+        if((p!=th) && ((p->state==STATE_RUNNING))) {
+            FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world: suspending %lu\n",
                           p->os_thread));
-            if(thread_kill(p->os_thread,SIG_STOP_FOR_GC)==-1) {
-                /* we can't kill the thread; assume because it died
-                 * since we last checked */
-                p->state=STATE_DEAD;
-                FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:assuming %ld dead\n",
-                   p->os_thread));
+            status=kill_thread_safely(p->os_thread,SIG_STOP_FOR_GC);
+            if (status==ESRCH) {
+                /* This thread has exited. */
+                gc_assert(p->state==STATE_DEAD);
+            } else if (status) {
+                lose("cannot send suspend thread=%lu: %d, %s\n",
+                     p->os_thread,status,strerror(status));
             }
         }
     }
     FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_stop_the_world:signals sent\n"));
     /* wait for the running threads to stop or finish */
     for(p=all_threads;p;) {
-        gc_assert(p->os_thread!=0);
-        gc_assert(p->state!=STATE_STARTING);
-        if((p==th) || (p->state==STATE_SUSPENDED) ||
-           (p->state==STATE_DEAD)) {
+        if((p!=th) && (p->state==STATE_RUNNING)) {
+            sched_yield();
+        } else {
             p=p->next;
         }
     }
@@ -459,6 +443,7 @@ void gc_stop_the_world()
 void gc_start_the_world()
 {
     struct thread *p,*th=arch_os_get_current_thread();
+    int status;
     /* if a resumed thread creates a new thread before we're done with
      * this loop, the new thread will get consed on the front of
      * all_threads, but it won't have been stopped so won't need
@@ -468,21 +453,24 @@ void gc_start_the_world()
         gc_assert(p->os_thread!=0);
         if((p!=th) && (p->state!=STATE_DEAD)) {
             if(p->state!=STATE_SUSPENDED) {
-                lose("gc_start_the_world: wrong thread state is %ld\n",
+                lose("gc_start_the_world: wrong thread state is %d\n",
                      fixnum_value(p->state));
             }
-            thread_kill(p->os_thread,SIG_STOP_FOR_GC);
-        }
-    }
-    /* we must wait for all threads to leave stopped state else we
-     * risk signal accumulation and lose any meaning of
-     * thread->state */
-    for(p=all_threads;p;) {
-        if((p==th) || (p->state!=STATE_SUSPENDED)) {
-            p=p->next;
+            FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr, "/gc_start_the_world: resuming %lu\n",
+                          p->os_thread));
+            p->state=STATE_RUNNING;
+            status=kill_thread_safely(p->os_thread,SIG_STOP_FOR_GC);
+            if (status) {
+                lose("cannot resume thread=%lu: %d, %s\n",
+                     p->os_thread,status,strerror(status));
+            }
         }
     }
-    release_spinlock(&all_threads_lock);
+    /* If we waited here until all threads leave STATE_SUSPENDED, then
+     * SIG_STOP_FOR_GC wouldn't need to be a rt signal. That has some
+     * performance implications, but does away with the 'rt signal
+     * queue full' problem. */
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&all_threads_lock); \
     FSHOW_SIGNAL((stderr,"/gc_start_the_world:end\n"));
 }
 #endif