x86: document new bzImage fields

Document the new bzImage fields for kernel memory placement.

[ Impact: adds documentation ]

Signed-off-by: H. Peter Anvin <hpa@zytor.com>

diff --git a/Documentation/x86/boot.txt b/Documentation/x86/boot.txt
index e0203662f9e9f8a1a907060437f3fcdf907e2667..cf8dfc70a118d8cc09b7b4ce961c403cad233257 100644 (file)
--- a/Documentation/x86/boot.txt
+++ b/Documentation/x86/boot.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ Protocol 2.08:       (Kernel 2.6.26) Added crc32 checksum and ELF format
 Protocol 2.09: (Kernel 2.6.26) Added a field of 64-bit physical
                pointer to single linked list of struct setup_data.
 
+Protocol 2.10: (Kernel 2.6.31) A protocol for relaxed alignment
+               beyond the kernel_alignment added, new init_size and
+               pref_address fields.
+
+
 **** MEMORY LAYOUT
 
 The traditional memory map for the kernel loader, used for Image or
@@ -173,7 +178,7 @@ Offset      Proto   Name            Meaning
 022C/4 2.03+   ramdisk_max     Highest legal initrd address
 0230/4 2.05+   kernel_alignment Physical addr alignment required for kernel
 0234/1 2.05+   relocatable_kernel Whether kernel is relocatable or not
-0235/1 N/A     pad2            Unused
+0235/1 2.10+   min_alignment   Minimum alignment, as a power of two
 0236/2 N/A     pad3            Unused
 0238/4 2.06+   cmdline_size    Maximum size of the kernel command line
 023C/4 2.07+   hardware_subarch Hardware subarchitecture
@@ -182,6 +187,8 @@ Offset      Proto   Name            Meaning
 024C/4 2.08+   payload_length  Length of kernel payload
 0250/8 2.09+   setup_data      64-bit physical pointer to linked list
                                of struct setup_data
+0258/8 2.10+   pref_address    Preferred loading address
+0260/4 2.10+   init_size       Linear memory required during initialization
 
 (1) For backwards compatibility, if the setup_sects field contains 0, the
     real value is 4.
@@ -482,11 +489,19 @@ Protocol: 2.03+
   0x37FFFFFF, you can start your ramdisk at 0x37FE0000.)
 
 Field name:    kernel_alignment
-Type:          read (reloc)
+Type:          read/modify (reloc)
 Offset/size:   0x230/4
-Protocol:      2.05+
+Protocol:      2.05+ (read), 2.10+ (modify)
+
+  Alignment unit required by the kernel (if relocatable_kernel is
+  true.)  A relocatable kernel that is loaded at an alignment
+  incompatible with the value in this field will be realigned during
+  kernel initialization.
 
-  Alignment unit required by the kernel (if relocatable_kernel is true.)
+  Starting with protocol version 2.10, this reflects the kernel
+  alignment preferred for optimal performance; it is possible for the
+  loader to modify this field to permit a lesser alignment.  See the
+  min_alignment and pref_address field below.
 
 Field name:    relocatable_kernel
 Type:          read (reloc)
@@ -498,6 +513,22 @@ Protocol:  2.05+
   After loading, the boot loader must set the code32_start field to
   point to the loaded code, or to a boot loader hook.
 
+Field name:    min_alignment
+Type:          read (reloc)
+Offset/size:   0x235/1
+Protocol:      2.10+
+
+  This field, if nonzero, indicates as a power of two the minimum
+  alignment required, as opposed to preferred, by the kernel to boot.
+  If a boot loader makes use of this field, it should update the
+  kernel_alignment field with the alignment unit desired; typically:
+
+       kernel_alignment = 1 << min_alignment
+
+  There may be a considerable performance cost with an excessively
+  misaligned kernel.  Therefore, a loader should typically try each
+  power-of-two alignment from kernel_alignment down to this alignment.
+
 Field name:    cmdline_size
 Type:          read
 Offset/size:   0x238/4
@@ -582,6 +613,36 @@ Protocol:  2.09+
   sure to consider the case where the linked list already contains
   entries.
 
+Field name:    pref_address
+Type:          read (reloc)
+Offset/size:   0x258/8
+Protocol:      2.10+
+
+  This field, if nonzero, represents a preferred load address for the
+  kernel.  A relocating bootloader should attempt to load at this
+  address if possible.
+
+  A non-relocatable kernel will unconditionally move itself and to run
+  at this address.
+
+Field name:    init_size
+Type:          read
+Offset/size:   0x25c/4
+
+  This field indicates the amount of linear contiguous memory starting
+  at the kernel runtime start address that the kernel needs before it
+  is capable of examining its memory map.  This is not the same thing
+  as the total amount of memory the kernel needs to boot, but it can
+  be used by a relocating boot loader to help select a safe load
+  address for the kernel.
+
+  The kernel runtime start address is determined by the following algorithm:
+
+  if (relocatable_kernel)
+       runtime_start = align_up(load_address, kernel_alignment)
+  else
+       runtime_start = pref_address
+
 
 **** THE IMAGE CHECKSUM