PCM instance initialisation stuck on Windows

[bpo-exfab]

Hello,

I try to run pcm.exe on Windows , but it remains stuck after CPU info print.

I built PCM tools and MSR driver following the readme and the windows how to .
This terminal output when I run pcm.exea with as Administrator:

PS C:\Program Files (x86)\PCM> .\pcm.exe
DEBUG: Setting Ctrl+C done.

 Intel(r) Performance Counter Monitor ($Format:%ci ID=%h$)


Error in SetFileSecurity for \\.\PCM MSR. Error 2
Detected a hypervisor/virtualization technology. Some metrics might not be available due to configuration or availability of virtual hardware features.

=====  Processor information  =====
Hybrid processor         : no
IBRS and IBPB supported  : yes
STIBP supported          : yes
Spec arch caps supported : yes
Max CPUID level          : 27
CPU model number         : 141
Number of physical cores: 8
Number of logical cores: 16
Number of online logical cores: 16
Threads (logical cores) per physical core: 2
Num sockets: 1
Physical cores per socket: 8
Last level cache slices per socket: 8
Core PMU (perfmon) version: 5
Number of core PMU generic (programmable) counters: 8
Width of generic (programmable) counters: 48 bits
Number of core PMU fixed counters: 4
Width of fixed counters: 48 bits
Nominal core frequency: 3300000000 Hz
IBRS enabled in the kernel   : yes
STIBP enabled in the kernel  : no
The processor is not susceptible to Rogue Data Cache Load: yes
The processor supports enhanced IBRS                     : yes
Package thermal spec power: 45 Watt; Package minimum power: 0 Watt; Package maximum power: 0 Watt;

it seems to has an problem with MSR driver Error in SetFileSecurity for \\.\PCM MSR. Error 2, but this line only appears on the first run.
I use it in testing mode by allowing Windows to load test signed driver: Bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING ON
Am I missing something about msr driver?

Detected a hypervisor/virtualization technology. Some metrics might not be available due to configuration or availability of virtual hardware features.
I have the same issue with pre-compiled binary for windows. Also with hypervisor/virtualization disable

My environment setup:

• Windows 11 Pro - 22H22
• Visual Studio 2022 CE
• Windows SDK 10.0.22621.1778
• WDK 10.0.22621.382
• processor 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-11980HK @ 2.60GHz 3.30 GHz

[opcm]

Unfortunately I am not able to reproduce it. Is the msr.sys in both "C:\Program Files (x86)\PCM" and "C:\windows\system32" directories? What happens if you press ENTER when it is stuck? On my system it takes a few seconds in the first run. You can try to run "pcm.exe --uninstallDriver" and then reboot and retry..

[bpo-exfab]

Pressing ENTER or any other key has no effect.

Putting mrs.sys file in system32 and in C:\NProgram Files (x86)\NPCM> changes nothing.

I've tried running pcm.exe --uninstallDriver, I have the same problem.

I followed WINDOWS_HOWTO.md to build the driver, but I needed to add targetVersion to the cmd line:

MSBuild.exe MSR.vcxproj -property:Configuration=Release -property:Platform=x64 -property:TargetVersion="Windows10"

without "-property:TargetVersion="Windows10", the Release configuration doesn't build :

MSBuild.exe MSR.vcxproj -property:Configuration=Release -property:Platform=x64
MSBuild version 17.7.2+d6990bcfa for .NET Framework
Build started 02/11/2023 18:37:43.

Project "C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM.GIT\pcm\src\WinMSRDriver\MSR.vcxproj" on node 1 (default targets).
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\build\10.0.22621.0\WindowsDriver.common.targets(314,5): error MSB4044: The "ValidateNTT
argetVersion" task was not given a value for the required parameter "ValidNTTargetVersions". [C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM.GIT\p
cm\src\WinMSRDriver\MSR.vcxproj]
Done Building Project "C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM.GIT\pcm\src\WinMSRDriver\MSR.vcxproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.


Build FAILED.

"C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM.GIT\pcm\src\WinMSRDriver\MSR.vcxproj" (default target) (1) ->
(ValidateNTTargetVersion target) ->
  C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\build\10.0.22621.0\WindowsDriver.common.targets(314,5): error MSB4044: The "ValidateN
TTargetVersion" task was not given a value for the required parameter "ValidNTTargetVersions". [C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM.GIT
\pcm\src\WinMSRDriver\MSR.vcxproj]

    0 Warning(s)
    1 Error(s)

There is anythings else to do to build driver ?

[XeLoRy]

@opcm, same issue on my side :-( !

[opcm]

I am still not able to reproduce it on my side. I don't see PCM blocking.. Could someone who sees the issue check the call stack and function it is blocking on?

[XeLoRy]

Would it be possible to have your compiled driver version to check first?

[bpo-exfab]

I run in debug step by step pcm.exe, and the execution dont pass line 2832 in pcm.cpp file:

It is blocked here, with not CPU load, error or exception.

I have cloned source from commit b793f57

[opcm]

I run in debug step by step pcm.exe, and the execution dont pass line 2832 in pcm.cpp file: It is blocked here, with not CPU load, error or exception.

I have cloned source from commit b793f57

this is interesting and unexpected. Could you try setting this enviroment variable in your powershell and rerunning pcm:

$env:PCM_NO_UNCORE_PMU_DISCOVERY = '1'
.\pcm.exe

does it change anything?

[bpo-exfab]

with $env:PCM_NO_UNCORE_PMU_DISCOVERY = '1' pcm.exe is not blocked and go further but I have this output:

=====  Processor information  =====
Hybrid processor         : no
IBRS and IBPB supported  : yes
STIBP supported          : yes
Spec arch caps supported : yes
Max CPUID level          : 27
CPU model number         : 141
Number of physical cores: 8
Number of logical cores: 16
Number of online logical cores: 16
Threads (logical cores) per physical core: 2
Num sockets: 1
Physical cores per socket: 8
Last level cache slices per socket: 8
Core PMU (perfmon) version: 5
Number of core PMU generic (programmable) counters: 8
Width of generic (programmable) counters: 48 bits
Number of core PMU fixed counters: 4
Width of fixed counters: 48 bits
Nominal core frequency: 3300000000 Hz
IBRS enabled in the kernel   : yes
STIBP enabled in the kernel  : no
The processor is not susceptible to Rogue Data Cache Load: yes
The processor supports enhanced IBRS                     : yes
Package thermal spec power: 45 Watt; Package minimum power: 0 Watt; Package maximum power: 0 Watt;

Info: 0 UBOX units detected.
Socket 0: 0 PCU units detected. 0 IIO units detected. 0 IRP units detected. 0 CHA/CBO units detected. 0 MDF units detected. 0 CXL units detected.

WARNING: Custom counter 0 is in use. MSR_PERF_GLOBAL_INUSE on core 0: 0xf0000000f
WARNING: Custom counter 1 is in use. MSR_PERF_GLOBAL_INUSE on core 0: 0xf0000000f
WARNING: Custom counter 2 is in use. MSR_PERF_GLOBAL_INUSE on core 0: 0xf0000000f
WARNING: Custom counter 3 is in use. MSR_PERF_GLOBAL_INUSE on core 0: 0xf0000000f
WARNING: Core 0 IA32_PERFEVTSEL0_ADDR is not zeroed 4399313
Access to Intel(r) Performance Counter Monitor has denied (Performance Monitoring Unit is occupied by other application). Try to stop the application that uses PMU.
Alternatively you can try running PCM with option -r to reset PMU.
Cleaning up
 Zeroed PMU registers
 Zeroed uncore PMU registers
>

and if I run again pcm.exe i have this output:

=====  Processor information  =====
Hybrid processor         : no
IBRS and IBPB supported  : yes
STIBP supported          : yes
Spec arch caps supported : yes
Max CPUID level          : 27
CPU model number         : 141
Number of physical cores: 8
Number of logical cores: 16
Number of online logical cores: 16
Threads (logical cores) per physical core: 2
Num sockets: 1
Physical cores per socket: 8
Last level cache slices per socket: 8
Core PMU (perfmon) version: 5
Number of core PMU generic (programmable) counters: 8
Width of generic (programmable) counters: 48 bits
Number of core PMU fixed counters: 4
Width of fixed counters: 48 bits
Nominal core frequency: 3300000000 Hz
IBRS enabled in the kernel   : yes
STIBP enabled in the kernel  : no
The processor is not susceptible to Rogue Data Cache Load: yes
The processor supports enhanced IBRS                     : yes
Package thermal spec power: 45 Watt; Package minimum power: 0 Watt; Package maximum power: 0 Watt;

Info: 0 UBOX units detected.
Socket 0: 0 PCU units detected. 0 IIO units detected. 0 IRP units detected. 0 CHA/CBO units detected. 0 MDF units detected. 0 CXL units detected.

Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
>

[bpo-exfab]

I have the same result:

 Resetting PMU configuration
 Zeroed PMU registers
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884
Assertion failed: core_global_ctrl_value == value, file C:\WORKSPACE\07\PCM2\pcm\src\cpucounters.cpp, line 3884

[opcm]

thank you for the feedback. I was able to reproduce it and root-caused it. A fix is in development.

[XeLoRy]

Good news! thanks for your help.
Any idea about when the fix will be ready?

[opcm]

the fixes are now merged into the master branch