Subject: Re: [PATCH net v2 1/2] bnge: fix initial HWRM sequence

From: Jakub Kicinski <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:42:54 -0700

On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:46:08 +0530 Vikas Gupta wrote:
> > > -err_func_unrgtr:
> > > -     bnge_fw_unregister_dev(bd);
> > > +err_free_ctx_mem:
> > > +     bnge_free_ctx_mem(bd);
> > >       return rc;
> > >  }  
> >
> > This error path appears to have the same regression. If
> > bnge_hwrm_func_drv_rgtr() fails after bnge_func_qcaps() has already
> > configured the backing store, freeing the context memory directly without
> > unregistering might allow the hardware to access freed memory.  
> 
> Even if bnge_hwrm_func_drv_rgtr() fails, it is still safe to free the context
> memory at the host because the driver unloads from this point.

Looking closer, indeed, the way bnge_hwrm_func_drv_unrgtr() is written
the AI suggestion is pointless. Hopefully you're right cause debugging
FW corrupting host memory after reboot on bnxt is not fun.

> AI reviews appear to ignore logic related to handling context memory
> in the patch.
> I see no valid comments on the patch.

Why is bnge_func_qcaps() allocating context mem? It may be the case
that context mem has to be allocated but bnge_func_qcaps() doesn't
sound like a function that'd perform such key part of init.
Why not just move the alloc earlier in bnge_fw_register_dev() ?