| Message ID | 1544063533-10139-5-git-send-email-lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com (mailing list archive) |
|---|---|
| State | New, archived |
| Headers | show |
| Series | allow to load initrd below 4G for recent kernel | expand |
On Thu, Dec 06, 2018 at 10:32:13AM +0800, Li Zhijian wrote: > a new field xloadflags was added to recent x86 linux, and BIT 1: > XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is used to tell bootload that where initrd can be > loaded safely. > > Current QEMU/BIOS always loads initrd below below_4g_mem_size which is always > less than 4G, so here limiting initrd_max to 4G - 1 simply is enough if > this bit is set. > > CC: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com> > CC: Richard Henderson <rth@twiddle.net> > CC: Eduardo Habkost <ehabkost@redhat.com> > CC: "Michael S. Tsirkin" <mst@redhat.com> > CC: Marcel Apfelbaum <marcel.apfelbaum@gmail.com> > Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> > > --- > V3: correct grammar and check XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G first (Michael S. Tsirkin) > > Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> > --- > hw/i386/pc.c | 10 +++++++++- > 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) > > diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c > index 3b10726..baa99c0 100644 > --- a/hw/i386/pc.c > +++ b/hw/i386/pc.c > @@ -904,7 +904,15 @@ static void load_linux(PCMachineState *pcms, > #endif > > /* highest address for loading the initrd */ > - if (protocol >= 0x203) { > + if (protocol >= 0x20c && > + lduw_p(header+0x236) & XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G) { > + /* > + * Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, > + * it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G > + * since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size > + */ > + initrd_max = UINT32_MAX; > + } else if (protocol >= 0x203) { > initrd_max = ldl_p(header+0x22c); > } else { > initrd_max = 0x37ffffff; I still have trouble understanding the above. Anyone else wants to comment / help rephrase the comment and commit log so it's readable? > -- > 2.7.4
On Fri, Dec 21, 2018 at 11:10:30AM -0500, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote: > On Thu, Dec 06, 2018 at 10:32:13AM +0800, Li Zhijian wrote: > > a new field xloadflags was added to recent x86 linux, and BIT 1: > > XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is used to tell bootload that where initrd can be > > loaded safely. > > > > Current QEMU/BIOS always loads initrd below below_4g_mem_size which is always > > less than 4G, so here limiting initrd_max to 4G - 1 simply is enough if > > this bit is set. > > > > CC: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com> > > CC: Richard Henderson <rth@twiddle.net> > > CC: Eduardo Habkost <ehabkost@redhat.com> > > CC: "Michael S. Tsirkin" <mst@redhat.com> > > CC: Marcel Apfelbaum <marcel.apfelbaum@gmail.com> > > Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> > > > > --- > > V3: correct grammar and check XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G first (Michael S. Tsirkin) > > > > Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> > > --- > > hw/i386/pc.c | 10 +++++++++- > > 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) > > > > diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c > > index 3b10726..baa99c0 100644 > > --- a/hw/i386/pc.c > > +++ b/hw/i386/pc.c > > @@ -904,7 +904,15 @@ static void load_linux(PCMachineState *pcms, > > #endif > > > > /* highest address for loading the initrd */ > > - if (protocol >= 0x203) { > > + if (protocol >= 0x20c && > > + lduw_p(header+0x236) & XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G) { > > + /* > > + * Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, > > + * it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G > > + * since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size > > + */ > > + initrd_max = UINT32_MAX; > > + } else if (protocol >= 0x203) { > > initrd_max = ldl_p(header+0x22c); > > } else { > > initrd_max = 0x37ffffff; > > > I still have trouble understanding the above. > Anyone else wants to comment / help rephrase the comment > and commit log so it's readable? The comment seems to contradict what I see on the code: | Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, Sounds correct. | it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G I'm not a native English speaker, but I believe "it" here should be interpreted as "the kernel", which would be incorrect. It's this QEMU function that limits initrd_max to a uint32 value, not the kernel. | since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size I don't know why the BIOS is mentioned here. The below_4g_mem_size limit comes from these 2 lines inside load_linux(): if (initrd_max >= pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size) { initrd_max = pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size - 1; } In addition to that, initrd_max is uint32_t simply because QEMU doesn't support the 64-bit boot protocol (specifically the ext_ramdisk_image field), so all talk about below_4g_mem_size seems to be just a distraction. All that said, I miss one piece of information here: is XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G really supposed to override header+0x22c? linux/Documentation/x86/boot.txt isn't clear about that. Is there any reference that can help us confirm this?
On 12/28/2018 4:31 AM, Eduardo Habkost wrote: > On Fri, Dec 21, 2018 at 11:10:30AM -0500, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote: >> On Thu, Dec 06, 2018 at 10:32:13AM +0800, Li Zhijian wrote: >>> >>> /* highest address for loading the initrd */ >>> - if (protocol >= 0x203) { >>> + if (protocol >= 0x20c && >>> + lduw_p(header+0x236) & XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G) { >>> + /* >>> + * Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, >>> + * it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G >>> + * since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size >>> + */ >>> + initrd_max = UINT32_MAX; >>> + } else if (protocol >= 0x203) { >>> initrd_max = ldl_p(header+0x22c); >>> } else { >>> initrd_max = 0x37ffffff; >> >> I still have trouble understanding the above. >> Anyone else wants to comment / help rephrase the comment >> and commit log so it's readable? > > The comment seems to contradict what I see on the code: > > | Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, > > Sounds correct. > > > | it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G > > I'm not a native English speaker, but I believe "it" here should > be interpreted as "the kernel", which would be incorrect. It's > this QEMU function that limits initrd_max to a uint32 value, not > the kernel. > > > | since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size > > I don't know why the BIOS is mentioned here. The > below_4g_mem_size limit comes from these 2 lines inside > load_linux(): > > if (initrd_max >= pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size) { > initrd_max = pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size - 1; > } > In addition to that, initrd_max is uint32_t simply because QEMU > doesn't support the 64-bit boot protocol (specifically the > ext_ramdisk_image field), Thanks for explaining this :), i'm not clear before. > so all talk about below_4g_mem_size > seems to be just a distraction. > > All that said, I miss one piece of information here: is > XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G really supposed to override > header+0x22c? linux/Documentation/x86/boot.txt isn't clear about > that. Is there any reference that can help us confirm this? Good question. Since i'm not familiar with boot protocol, at the beginning, i also CCed to LKML for helps https://lkml.org/lkml/2018/11/10/82 Ingo said: >> > If XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is not > set, then you most likely >> are on a 32-bit kernel and there are more > fundamental limits (even >> if you were to load it above the 2 GB mark, you > would be limited by >> the size of kernel memory.) > > So, in case you are wondering: the >> bootloader that broke when setting > the initrd_max field above 2 GB >> was, of course, Grub. > > So just use XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G. >> There is no need for a new flag > or new field. That's nice, and >> that's the best solution! that make me to believe that if XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is set, BELOW_4G is allowed too. if above is credible, might be we can update the comments like: ------- QEMU doesn't support the 64-bit boot protocol (specifically the ext_ramdisk_image field). In addition, kernel allows to load initrd above 4G if XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is set, so we believe that load initrd below 4G is allowed too. For simplicity, so just set initrd_max to UINT32_MAX is enough and safe. ------- Thanks Zhijian
Hi, On Thu, Dec 27, 2018 at 9:32 PM Eduardo Habkost <ehabkost@redhat.com> wrote: > > On Fri, Dec 21, 2018 at 11:10:30AM -0500, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote: > > On Thu, Dec 06, 2018 at 10:32:13AM +0800, Li Zhijian wrote: > > > a new field xloadflags was added to recent x86 linux, and BIT 1: > > > XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is used to tell bootload that where initrd can be > > > loaded safely. > > > > > > Current QEMU/BIOS always loads initrd below below_4g_mem_size which is always > > > less than 4G, so here limiting initrd_max to 4G - 1 simply is enough if > > > this bit is set. > > > > > > CC: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com> > > > CC: Richard Henderson <rth@twiddle.net> > > > CC: Eduardo Habkost <ehabkost@redhat.com> > > > CC: "Michael S. Tsirkin" <mst@redhat.com> > > > CC: Marcel Apfelbaum <marcel.apfelbaum@gmail.com> > > > Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> > > > > > > --- > > > V3: correct grammar and check XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G first (Michael S. Tsirkin) > > > > > > Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> > > > --- > > > hw/i386/pc.c | 10 +++++++++- > > > 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) > > > > > > diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c > > > index 3b10726..baa99c0 100644 > > > --- a/hw/i386/pc.c > > > +++ b/hw/i386/pc.c > > > @@ -904,7 +904,15 @@ static void load_linux(PCMachineState *pcms, > > > #endif > > > > > > /* highest address for loading the initrd */ > > > - if (protocol >= 0x203) { > > > + if (protocol >= 0x20c && > > > + lduw_p(header+0x236) & XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G) { > > > + /* > > > + * Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, > > > + * it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G > > > + * since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size > > > + */ > > > + initrd_max = UINT32_MAX; > > > + } else if (protocol >= 0x203) { > > > initrd_max = ldl_p(header+0x22c); > > > } else { > > > initrd_max = 0x37ffffff; > > > > > > I still have trouble understanding the above. > > Anyone else wants to comment / help rephrase the comment > > and commit log so it's readable? > > > The comment seems to contradict what I see on the code: > > | Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, > > Sounds correct. > > > | it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G > > I'm not a native English speaker, but I believe "it" here should > be interpreted as "the kernel", which would be incorrect. It's > this QEMU function that limits initrd_max to a uint32 value, not > the kernel. > > > | since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size > > I don't know why the BIOS is mentioned here. The > below_4g_mem_size limit comes from these 2 lines inside > load_linux(): > > if (initrd_max >= pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size) { > initrd_max = pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size - 1; > } > In addition to that, initrd_max is uint32_t simply because QEMU > doesn't support the 64-bit boot protocol (specifically the > ext_ramdisk_image field), so all talk about below_4g_mem_size > seems to be just a distraction. > > All that said, I miss one piece of information here: is > XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G really supposed to override > header+0x22c? linux/Documentation/x86/boot.txt isn't clear about > that. Is there any reference that can help us confirm this? Looking at the following patch seems that we can confirm the assumption: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=4bf7111f50167133a71c23530ca852a41355e739 Note: the patch was reverted due to bugs in some firmwares, but IMHO the assumption is correct. https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=47226ad4f4cfd1e91ded7f2ec42f83ff1c624663 Cheers, Stefano > > -- > Eduardo >
On 27/12/18 21:31, Eduardo Habkost wrote: > All that said, I miss one piece of information here: is > XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G really supposed to override > header+0x22c? linux/Documentation/x86/boot.txt isn't clear about > that. Is there any reference that can help us confirm this? Linux has supported initrd up to 4 GB for a very long time (2007, long before XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G which was added in 2013), though it only sets initrd_max to 2 GB to "work around bootloader bugs". So I guess the flag can be taken as a hint that you can load at any address, and perhaps could be renamed. Paolo
On 1/7/19 20:11, Stefano Garzarella wrote: > Hi, > > On Thu, Dec 27, 2018 at 9:32 PM Eduardo Habkost <ehabkost@redhat.com> wrote: >> On Fri, Dec 21, 2018 at 11:10:30AM -0500, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote: >>> On Thu, Dec 06, 2018 at 10:32:13AM +0800, Li Zhijian wrote: >>>> a new field xloadflags was added to recent x86 linux, and BIT 1: >>>> XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G is used to tell bootload that where initrd can be >>>> loaded safely. >>>> >>>> Current QEMU/BIOS always loads initrd below below_4g_mem_size which is always >>>> less than 4G, so here limiting initrd_max to 4G - 1 simply is enough if >>>> this bit is set. >>>> >>>> CC: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com> >>>> CC: Richard Henderson <rth@twiddle.net> >>>> CC: Eduardo Habkost <ehabkost@redhat.com> >>>> CC: "Michael S. Tsirkin" <mst@redhat.com> >>>> CC: Marcel Apfelbaum <marcel.apfelbaum@gmail.com> >>>> Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> >>>> >>>> --- >>>> V3: correct grammar and check XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G first (Michael S. Tsirkin) >>>> >>>> Signed-off-by: Li Zhijian <lizhijian@cn.fujitsu.com> >>>> --- >>>> hw/i386/pc.c | 10 +++++++++- >>>> 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) >>>> >>>> diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c >>>> index 3b10726..baa99c0 100644 >>>> --- a/hw/i386/pc.c >>>> +++ b/hw/i386/pc.c >>>> @@ -904,7 +904,15 @@ static void load_linux(PCMachineState *pcms, >>>> #endif >>>> >>>> /* highest address for loading the initrd */ >>>> - if (protocol >= 0x203) { >>>> + if (protocol >= 0x20c && >>>> + lduw_p(header+0x236) & XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G) { >>>> + /* >>>> + * Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, >>>> + * it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G >>>> + * since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size >>>> + */ >>>> + initrd_max = UINT32_MAX; >>>> + } else if (protocol >= 0x203) { >>>> initrd_max = ldl_p(header+0x22c); >>>> } else { >>>> initrd_max = 0x37ffffff; >>> >>> I still have trouble understanding the above. >>> Anyone else wants to comment / help rephrase the comment >>> and commit log so it's readable? >> >> The comment seems to contradict what I see on the code: >> >> | Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, >> >> Sounds correct. >> >> >> | it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G >> >> I'm not a native English speaker, but I believe "it" here should >> be interpreted as "the kernel", which would be incorrect. It's >> this QEMU function that limits initrd_max to a uint32 value, not >> the kernel. >> >> >> | since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size >> >> I don't know why the BIOS is mentioned here. The >> below_4g_mem_size limit comes from these 2 lines inside >> load_linux(): >> >> if (initrd_max >= pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size) { >> initrd_max = pcms->below_4g_mem_size - pcmc->acpi_data_size - 1; >> } >> In addition to that, initrd_max is uint32_t simply because QEMU >> doesn't support the 64-bit boot protocol (specifically the >> ext_ramdisk_image field), so all talk about below_4g_mem_size >> seems to be just a distraction. >> >> All that said, I miss one piece of information here: is >> XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G really supposed to override >> header+0x22c? linux/Documentation/x86/boot.txt isn't clear about >> that. Is there any reference that can help us confirm this? > Looking at the following patch seems that we can confirm the assumption: > https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=4bf7111f50167133a71c23530ca852a41355e739 > > Note: the patch was reverted due to bugs in some firmwares, but IMHO > the assumption is correct. > https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=47226ad4f4cfd1e91ded7f2ec42f83ff1c624663 thanks for you info. When use '-kernel vmlinux -initrd initrd.cgz' to launch a VM, the firmware(it could be linuxboot_dma.bin) helps to read initrd contents into guest memory(below ramdisk_max) and jump to kernel. that's similar with what bootloader does, like grub. And firmware can work well with some fixes in this patchset. Zhijian > > Cheers, > Stefano > >> -- >> Eduardo >> > > . >
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c index 3b10726..baa99c0 100644 --- a/hw/i386/pc.c +++ b/hw/i386/pc.c @@ -904,7 +904,15 @@ static void load_linux(PCMachineState *pcms, #endif /* highest address for loading the initrd */ - if (protocol >= 0x203) { + if (protocol >= 0x20c && + lduw_p(header+0x236) & XLF_CAN_BE_LOADED_ABOVE_4G) { + /* + * Although kernel allows initrd loading to above 4G, + * it just makes it as large as possible while still staying below 4G + * since current BIOS always loads initrd below pcms->below_4g_mem_size + */ + initrd_max = UINT32_MAX; + } else if (protocol >= 0x203) { initrd_max = ldl_p(header+0x22c); } else { initrd_max = 0x37ffffff;