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diff --git a/Documentation/x86/boot.txt b/Documentation/x86/boot.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..83c0033ee9e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/x86/boot.txt @@ -0,0 +1,900 @@ + THE LINUX/x86 BOOT PROTOCOL + --------------------------- + +On the x86 platform, the Linux kernel uses a rather complicated boot +convention. This has evolved partially due to historical aspects, as +well as the desire in the early days to have the kernel itself be a +bootable image, the complicated PC memory model and due to changed +expectations in the PC industry caused by the effective demise of +real-mode DOS as a mainstream operating system. + +Currently, the following versions of the Linux/x86 boot protocol exist. + +Old kernels: zImage/Image support only. Some very early kernels + may not even support a command line. + +Protocol 2.00: (Kernel 1.3.73) Added bzImage and initrd support, as + well as a formalized way to communicate between the + boot loader and the kernel. setup.S made relocatable, + although the traditional setup area still assumed + writable. + +Protocol 2.01: (Kernel 1.3.76) Added a heap overrun warning. + +Protocol 2.02: (Kernel 2.4.0-test3-pre3) New command line protocol. + Lower the conventional memory ceiling. No overwrite + of the traditional setup area, thus making booting + safe for systems which use the EBDA from SMM or 32-bit + BIOS entry points. zImage deprecated but still + supported. + +Protocol 2.03: (Kernel 2.4.18-pre1) Explicitly makes the highest possible + initrd address available to the bootloader. + +Protocol 2.04: (Kernel 2.6.14) Extend the syssize field to four bytes. + +Protocol 2.05: (Kernel 2.6.20) Make protected mode kernel relocatable. + Introduce relocatable_kernel and kernel_alignment fields. + +Protocol 2.06: (Kernel 2.6.22) Added a field that contains the size of + the boot command line. + +Protocol 2.07: (Kernel 2.6.24) Added paravirtualised boot protocol. + Introduced hardware_subarch and hardware_subarch_data + and KEEP_SEGMENTS flag in load_flags. + +Protocol 2.08: (Kernel 2.6.26) Added crc32 checksum and ELF format + payload. Introduced payload_offset and payload length + fields to aid in locating the payload. + +Protocol 2.09: (Kernel 2.6.26) Added a field of 64-bit physical + pointer to single linked list of struct setup_data. + +**** MEMORY LAYOUT + +The traditional memory map for the kernel loader, used for Image or +zImage kernels, typically looks like: + + | | +0A0000 +------------------------+ + | Reserved for BIOS | Do not use. Reserved for BIOS EBDA. +09A000 +------------------------+ + | Command line | + | Stack/heap | For use by the kernel real-mode code. +098000 +------------------------+ + | Kernel setup | The kernel real-mode code. +090200 +------------------------+ + | Kernel boot sector | The kernel legacy boot sector. +090000 +------------------------+ + | Protected-mode kernel | The bulk of the kernel image. +010000 +------------------------+ + | Boot loader | <- Boot sector entry point 0000:7C00 +001000 +------------------------+ + | Reserved for MBR/BIOS | +000800 +------------------------+ + | Typically used by MBR | +000600 +------------------------+ + | BIOS use only | +000000 +------------------------+ + + +When using bzImage, the protected-mode kernel was relocated to +0x100000 ("high memory"), and the kernel real-mode block (boot sector, +setup, and stack/heap) was made relocatable to any address between +0x10000 and end of low memory. Unfortunately, in protocols 2.00 and +2.01 the 0x90000+ memory range is still used internally by the kernel; +the 2.02 protocol resolves that problem. + +It is desirable to keep the "memory ceiling" -- the highest point in +low memory touched by the boot loader -- as low as possible, since +some newer BIOSes have begun to allocate some rather large amounts of +memory, called the Extended BIOS Data Area, near the top of low +memory. The boot loader should use the "INT 12h" BIOS call to verify +how much low memory is available. + +Unfortunately, if INT 12h reports that the amount of memory is too +low, there is usually nothing the boot loader can do but to report an +error to the user. The boot loader should therefore be designed to +take up as little space in low memory as it reasonably can. For +zImage or old bzImage kernels, which need data written into the +0x90000 segment, the boot loader should make sure not to use memory +above the 0x9A000 point; too many BIOSes will break above that point. + +For a modern bzImage kernel with boot protocol version >= 2.02, a +memory layout like the following is suggested: + + ~ ~ + | Protected-mode kernel | +100000 +------------------------+ + | I/O memory hole | +0A0000 +------------------------+ + | Reserved for BIOS | Leave as much as possible unused + ~ ~ + | Command line | (Can also be below the X+10000 mark) +X+10000 +------------------------+ + | Stack/heap | For use by the kernel real-mode code. +X+08000 +------------------------+ + | Kernel setup | The kernel real-mode code. + | Kernel boot sector | The kernel legacy boot sector. +X +------------------------+ + | Boot loader | <- Boot sector entry point 0000:7C00 +001000 +------------------------+ + | Reserved for MBR/BIOS | +000800 +------------------------+ + | Typically used by MBR | +000600 +------------------------+ + | BIOS use only | +000000 +------------------------+ + +... where the address X is as low as the design of the boot loader +permits. + + +**** THE REAL-MODE KERNEL HEADER + +In the following text, and anywhere in the kernel boot sequence, "a +sector" refers to 512 bytes. It is independent of the actual sector +size of the underlying medium. + +The first step in loading a Linux kernel should be to load the +real-mode code (boot sector and setup code) and then examine the +following header at offset 0x01f1. The real-mode code can total up to +32K, although the boot loader may choose to load only the first two +sectors (1K) and then examine the bootup sector size. + +The header looks like: + +Offset Proto Name Meaning +/Size + +01F1/1 ALL(1 setup_sects The size of the setup in sectors +01F2/2 ALL root_flags If set, the root is mounted readonly +01F4/4 2.04+(2 syssize The size of the 32-bit code in 16-byte paras +01F8/2 ALL ram_size DO NOT USE - for bootsect.S use only +01FA/2 ALL vid_mode Video mode control +01FC/2 ALL root_dev Default root device number +01FE/2 ALL boot_flag 0xAA55 magic number +0200/2 2.00+ jump Jump instruction +0202/4 2.00+ header Magic signature "HdrS" +0206/2 2.00+ version Boot protocol version supported +0208/4 2.00+ realmode_swtch Boot loader hook (see below) +020C/2 2.00+ start_sys The load-low segment (0x1000) (obsolete) +020E/2 2.00+ kernel_version Pointer to kernel version string +0210/1 2.00+ type_of_loader Boot loader identifier +0211/1 2.00+ loadflags Boot protocol option flags +0212/2 2.00+ setup_move_size Move to high memory size (used with hooks) +0214/4 2.00+ code32_start Boot loader hook (see below) +0218/4 2.00+ ramdisk_image initrd load address (set by boot loader) +021C/4 2.00+ ramdisk_size initrd size (set by boot loader) +0220/4 2.00+ bootsect_kludge DO NOT USE - for bootsect.S use only +0224/2 2.01+ heap_end_ptr Free memory after setup end +0226/2 N/A pad1 Unused +0228/4 2.02+ cmd_line_ptr 32-bit pointer to the kernel command line +022C/4 2.03+ initrd_addr_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 +0235/3 N/A pad2 Unused +0238/4 2.06+ cmdline_size Maximum size of the kernel command line +023C/4 2.07+ hardware_subarch Hardware subarchitecture +0240/8 2.07+ hardware_subarch_data Subarchitecture-specific data +0248/4 2.08+ payload_offset Offset of kernel payload +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 + +(1) For backwards compatibility, if the setup_sects field contains 0, the + real value is 4. + +(2) For boot protocol prior to 2.04, the upper two bytes of the syssize + field are unusable, which means the size of a bzImage kernel + cannot be determined. + +If the "HdrS" (0x53726448) magic number is not found at offset 0x202, +the boot protocol version is "old". Loading an old kernel, the +following parameters should be assumed: + + Image type = zImage + initrd not supported + Real-mode kernel must be located at 0x90000. + +Otherwise, the "version" field contains the protocol version, +e.g. protocol version 2.01 will contain 0x0201 in this field. When +setting fields in the header, you must make sure only to set fields +supported by the protocol version in use. + + +**** DETAILS OF HEADER FIELDS + +For each field, some are information from the kernel to the bootloader +("read"), some are expected to be filled out by the bootloader +("write"), and some are expected to be read and modified by the +bootloader ("modify"). + +All general purpose boot loaders should write the fields marked +(obligatory). Boot loaders who want to load the kernel at a +nonstandard address should fill in the fields marked (reloc); other +boot loaders can ignore those fields. + +The byte order of all fields is littleendian (this is x86, after all.) + +Field name: setup_sects +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x1f1/1 +Protocol: ALL + + The size of the setup code in 512-byte sectors. If this field is + 0, the real value is 4. The real-mode code consists of the boot + sector (always one 512-byte sector) plus the setup code. + +Field name: root_flags +Type: modify (optional) +Offset/size: 0x1f2/2 +Protocol: ALL + + If this field is nonzero, the root defaults to readonly. The use of + this field is deprecated; use the "ro" or "rw" options on the + command line instead. + +Field name: syssize +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x1f4/4 (protocol 2.04+) 0x1f4/2 (protocol ALL) +Protocol: 2.04+ + + The size of the protected-mode code in units of 16-byte paragraphs. + For protocol versions older than 2.04 this field is only two bytes + wide, and therefore cannot be trusted for the size of a kernel if + the LOAD_HIGH flag is set. + +Field name: ram_size +Type: kernel internal +Offset/size: 0x1f8/2 +Protocol: ALL + + This field is obsolete. + +Field name: vid_mode +Type: modify (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x1fa/2 + + Please see the section on SPECIAL COMMAND LINE OPTIONS. + +Field name: root_dev +Type: modify (optional) +Offset/size: 0x1fc/2 +Protocol: ALL + + The default root device device number. The use of this field is + deprecated, use the "root=" option on the command line instead. + +Field name: boot_flag +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x1fe/2 +Protocol: ALL + + Contains 0xAA55. This is the closest thing old Linux kernels have + to a magic number. + +Field name: jump +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x200/2 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + Contains an x86 jump instruction, 0xEB followed by a signed offset + relative to byte 0x202. This can be used to determine the size of + the header. + +Field name: header +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x202/4 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + Contains the magic number "HdrS" (0x53726448). + +Field name: version +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x206/2 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + Contains the boot protocol version, in (major << 8)+minor format, + e.g. 0x0204 for version 2.04, and 0x0a11 for a hypothetical version + 10.17. + +Field name: readmode_swtch +Type: modify (optional) +Offset/size: 0x208/4 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + Boot loader hook (see ADVANCED BOOT LOADER HOOKS below.) + +Field name: start_sys +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x20c/2 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + The load low segment (0x1000). Obsolete. + +Field name: kernel_version +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x20e/2 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + If set to a nonzero value, contains a pointer to a NUL-terminated + human-readable kernel version number string, less 0x200. This can + be used to display the kernel version to the user. This value + should be less than (0x200*setup_sects). + + For example, if this value is set to 0x1c00, the kernel version + number string can be found at offset 0x1e00 in the kernel file. + This is a valid value if and only if the "setup_sects" field + contains the value 15 or higher, as: + + 0x1c00 < 15*0x200 (= 0x1e00) but + 0x1c00 >= 14*0x200 (= 0x1c00) + + 0x1c00 >> 9 = 14, so the minimum value for setup_secs is 15. + +Field name: type_of_loader +Type: write (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x210/1 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + If your boot loader has an assigned id (see table below), enter + 0xTV here, where T is an identifier for the boot loader and V is + a version number. Otherwise, enter 0xFF here. + + Assigned boot loader ids: + 0 LILO (0x00 reserved for pre-2.00 bootloader) + 1 Loadlin + 2 bootsect-loader (0x20, all other values reserved) + 3 SYSLINUX + 4 EtherBoot + 5 ELILO + 7 GRuB + 8 U-BOOT + 9 Xen + A Gujin + B Qemu + + Please contact <hpa@zytor.com> if you need a bootloader ID + value assigned. + +Field name: loadflags +Type: modify (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x211/1 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + This field is a bitmask. + + Bit 0 (read): LOADED_HIGH + - If 0, the protected-mode code is loaded at 0x10000. + - If 1, the protected-mode code is loaded at 0x100000. + + Bit 5 (write): QUIET_FLAG + - If 0, print early messages. + - If 1, suppress early messages. + This requests to the kernel (decompressor and early + kernel) to not write early messages that require + accessing the display hardware directly. + + Bit 6 (write): KEEP_SEGMENTS + Protocol: 2.07+ + - If 0, reload the segment registers in the 32bit entry point. + - If 1, do not reload the segment registers in the 32bit entry point. + Assume that %cs %ds %ss %es are all set to flat segments with + a base of 0 (or the equivalent for their environment). + + Bit 7 (write): CAN_USE_HEAP + Set this bit to 1 to indicate that the value entered in the + heap_end_ptr is valid. If this field is clear, some setup code + functionality will be disabled. + +Field name: setup_move_size +Type: modify (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x212/2 +Protocol: 2.00-2.01 + + When using protocol 2.00 or 2.01, if the real mode kernel is not + loaded at 0x90000, it gets moved there later in the loading + sequence. Fill in this field if you want additional data (such as + the kernel command line) moved in addition to the real-mode kernel + itself. + + The unit is bytes starting with the beginning of the boot sector. + + This field is can be ignored when the protocol is 2.02 or higher, or + if the real-mode code is loaded at 0x90000. + +Field name: code32_start +Type: modify (optional, reloc) +Offset/size: 0x214/4 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + The address to jump to in protected mode. This defaults to the load + address of the kernel, and can be used by the boot loader to + determine the proper load address. + + This field can be modified for two purposes: + + 1. as a boot loader hook (see ADVANCED BOOT LOADER HOOKS below.) + + 2. if a bootloader which does not install a hook loads a + relocatable kernel at a nonstandard address it will have to modify + this field to point to the load address. + +Field name: ramdisk_image +Type: write (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x218/4 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + The 32-bit linear address of the initial ramdisk or ramfs. Leave at + zero if there is no initial ramdisk/ramfs. + +Field name: ramdisk_size +Type: write (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x21c/4 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + Size of the initial ramdisk or ramfs. Leave at zero if there is no + initial ramdisk/ramfs. + +Field name: bootsect_kludge +Type: kernel internal +Offset/size: 0x220/4 +Protocol: 2.00+ + + This field is obsolete. + +Field name: heap_end_ptr +Type: write (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x224/2 +Protocol: 2.01+ + + Set this field to the offset (from the beginning of the real-mode + code) of the end of the setup stack/heap, minus 0x0200. + +Field name: cmd_line_ptr +Type: write (obligatory) +Offset/size: 0x228/4 +Protocol: 2.02+ + + Set this field to the linear address of the kernel command line. + The kernel command line can be located anywhere between the end of + the setup heap and 0xA0000; it does not have to be located in the + same 64K segment as the real-mode code itself. + + Fill in this field even if your boot loader does not support a + command line, in which case you can point this to an empty string + (or better yet, to the string "auto".) If this field is left at + zero, the kernel will assume that your boot loader does not support + the 2.02+ protocol. + +Field name: initrd_addr_max +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x22c/4 +Protocol: 2.03+ + + The maximum address that may be occupied by the initial + ramdisk/ramfs contents. For boot protocols 2.02 or earlier, this + field is not present, and the maximum address is 0x37FFFFFF. (This + address is defined as the address of the highest safe byte, so if + your ramdisk is exactly 131072 bytes long and this field is + 0x37FFFFFF, you can start your ramdisk at 0x37FE0000.) + +Field name: kernel_alignment +Type: read (reloc) +Offset/size: 0x230/4 +Protocol: 2.05+ + + Alignment unit required by the kernel (if relocatable_kernel is true.) + +Field name: relocatable_kernel +Type: read (reloc) +Offset/size: 0x234/1 +Protocol: 2.05+ + + If this field is nonzero, the protected-mode part of the kernel can + be loaded at any address that satisfies the kernel_alignment field. + 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: cmdline_size +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x238/4 +Protocol: 2.06+ + + The maximum size of the command line without the terminating + zero. This means that the command line can contain at most + cmdline_size characters. With protocol version 2.05 and earlier, the + maximum size was 255. + +Field name: hardware_subarch +Type: write (optional, defaults to x86/PC) +Offset/size: 0x23c/4 +Protocol: 2.07+ + + In a paravirtualized environment the hardware low level architectural + pieces such as interrupt handling, page table handling, and + accessing process control registers needs to be done differently. + + This field allows the bootloader to inform the kernel we are in one + one of those environments. + + 0x00000000 The default x86/PC environment + 0x00000001 lguest + 0x00000002 Xen + +Field name: hardware_subarch_data +Type: write (subarch-dependent) +Offset/size: 0x240/8 +Protocol: 2.07+ + + A pointer to data that is specific to hardware subarch + This field is currently unused for the default x86/PC environment, + do not modify. + +Field name: payload_offset +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x248/4 +Protocol: 2.08+ + + If non-zero then this field contains the offset from the end of the + real-mode code to the payload. + + The payload may be compressed. The format of both the compressed and + uncompressed data should be determined using the standard magic + numbers. Currently only gzip compressed ELF is used. + +Field name: payload_length +Type: read +Offset/size: 0x24c/4 +Protocol: 2.08+ + + The length of the payload. + +Field name: setup_data +Type: write (special) +Offset/size: 0x250/8 +Protocol: 2.09+ + + The 64-bit physical pointer to NULL terminated single linked list of + struct setup_data. This is used to define a more extensible boot + parameters passing mechanism. The definition of struct setup_data is + as follow: + + struct setup_data { + u64 next; + u32 type; + u32 len; + u8 data[0]; + }; + + Where, the next is a 64-bit physical pointer to the next node of + linked list, the next field of the last node is 0; the type is used + to identify the contents of data; the len is the length of data + field; the data holds the real payload. + + This list may be modified at a number of points during the bootup + process. Therefore, when modifying this list one should always make + sure to consider the case where the linked list already contains + entries. + + +**** THE IMAGE CHECKSUM + +From boot protocol version 2.08 onwards the CRC-32 is calculated over +the entire file using the characteristic polynomial 0x04C11DB7 and an +initial remainder of 0xffffffff. The checksum is appended to the +file; therefore the CRC of the file up to the limit specified in the +syssize field of the header is always 0. + + +**** THE KERNEL COMMAND LINE + +The kernel command line has become an important way for the boot +loader to communicate with the kernel. Some of its options are also +relevant to the boot loader itself, see "special command line options" +below. + +The kernel command line is a null-terminated string. The maximum +length can be retrieved from the field cmdline_size. Before protocol +version 2.06, the maximum was 255 characters. A string that is too +long will be automatically truncated by the kernel. + +If the boot protocol version is 2.02 or later, the address of the +kernel command line is given by the header field cmd_line_ptr (see +above.) This address can be anywhere between the end of the setup +heap and 0xA0000. + +If the protocol version is *not* 2.02 or higher, the kernel +command line is entered using the following protocol: + + At offset 0x0020 (word), "cmd_line_magic", enter the magic + number 0xA33F. + + At offset 0x0022 (word), "cmd_line_offset", enter the offset + of the kernel command line (relative to the start of the + real-mode kernel). + + The kernel command line *must* be within the memory region + covered by setup_move_size, so you may need to adjust this + field. + + +**** MEMORY LAYOUT OF THE REAL-MODE CODE + +The real-mode code requires a stack/heap to be set up, as well as +memory allocated for the kernel command line. This needs to be done +in the real-mode accessible memory in bottom megabyte. + +It should be noted that modern machines often have a sizable Extended +BIOS Data Area (EBDA). As a result, it is advisable to use as little +of the low megabyte as possible. + +Unfortunately, under the following circumstances the 0x90000 memory +segment has to be used: + + - When loading a zImage kernel ((loadflags & 0x01) == 0). + - When loading a 2.01 or earlier boot protocol kernel. + + -> For the 2.00 and 2.01 boot protocols, the real-mode code + can be loaded at another address, but it is internally + relocated to 0x90000. For the "old" protocol, the + real-mode code must be loaded at 0x90000. + +When loading at 0x90000, avoid using memory above 0x9a000. + +For boot protocol 2.02 or higher, the command line does not have to be +located in the same 64K segment as the real-mode setup code; it is +thus permitted to give the stack/heap the full 64K segment and locate +the command line above it. + +The kernel command line should not be located below the real-mode +code, nor should it be located in high memory. + + +**** SAMPLE BOOT CONFIGURATION + +As a sample configuration, assume the following layout of the real +mode segment: + + When loading below 0x90000, use the entire segment: + + 0x0000-0x7fff Real mode kernel + 0x8000-0xdfff Stack and heap + 0xe000-0xffff Kernel command line + + When loading at 0x90000 OR the protocol version is 2.01 or earlier: + + 0x0000-0x7fff Real mode kernel + 0x8000-0x97ff Stack and heap + 0x9800-0x9fff Kernel command line + +Such a boot loader should enter the following fields in the header: + + unsigned long base_ptr; /* base address for real-mode segment */ + + if ( setup_sects == 0 ) { + setup_sects = 4; + } + + if ( protocol >= 0x0200 ) { + type_of_loader = <type code>; + if ( loading_initrd ) { + ramdisk_image = <initrd_address>; + ramdisk_size = <initrd_size>; + } + + if ( protocol >= 0x0202 && loadflags & 0x01 ) + heap_end = 0xe000; + else + heap_end = 0x9800; + + if ( protocol >= 0x0201 ) { + heap_end_ptr = heap_end - 0x200; + loadflags |= 0x80; /* CAN_USE_HEAP */ + } + + if ( protocol >= 0x0202 ) { + cmd_line_ptr = base_ptr + heap_end; + strcpy(cmd_line_ptr, cmdline); + } else { + cmd_line_magic = 0xA33F; + cmd_line_offset = heap_end; + setup_move_size = heap_end + strlen(cmdline)+1; + strcpy(base_ptr+cmd_line_offset, cmdline); + } + } else { + /* Very old kernel */ + + heap_end = 0x9800; + + cmd_line_magic = 0xA33F; + cmd_line_offset = heap_end; + + /* A very old kernel MUST have its real-mode code + loaded at 0x90000 */ + + if ( base_ptr != 0x90000 ) { + /* Copy the real-mode kernel */ + memcpy(0x90000, base_ptr, (setup_sects+1)*512); + base_ptr = 0x90000; /* Relocated */ + } + + strcpy(0x90000+cmd_line_offset, cmdline); + + /* It is recommended to clear memory up to the 32K mark */ + memset(0x90000 + (setup_sects+1)*512, 0, + (64-(setup_sects+1))*512); + } + + +**** LOADING THE REST OF THE KERNEL + +The 32-bit (non-real-mode) kernel starts at offset (setup_sects+1)*512 +in the kernel file (again, if setup_sects == 0 the real value is 4.) +It should be loaded at address 0x10000 for Image/zImage kernels and +0x100000 for bzImage kernels. + +The kernel is a bzImage kernel if the protocol >= 2.00 and the 0x01 +bit (LOAD_HIGH) in the loadflags field is set: + + is_bzImage = (protocol >= 0x0200) && (loadflags & 0x01); + load_address = is_bzImage ? 0x100000 : 0x10000; + +Note that Image/zImage kernels can be up to 512K in size, and thus use +the entire 0x10000-0x90000 range of memory. This means it is pretty +much a requirement for these kernels to load the real-mode part at +0x90000. bzImage kernels allow much more flexibility. + + +**** SPECIAL COMMAND LINE OPTIONS + +If the command line provided by the boot loader is entered by the +user, the user may expect the following command line options to work. +They should normally not be deleted from the kernel command line even +though not all of them are actually meaningful to the kernel. Boot +loader authors who need additional command line options for the boot +loader itself should get them registered in +Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt to make sure they will not +conflict with actual kernel options now or in the future. + + vga=<mode> + <mode> here is either an integer (in C notation, either + decimal, octal, or hexadecimal) or one of the strings + "normal" (meaning 0xFFFF), "ext" (meaning 0xFFFE) or "ask" + (meaning 0xFFFD). This value should be entered into the + vid_mode field, as it is used by the kernel before the command + line is parsed. + + mem=<size> + <size> is an integer in C notation optionally followed by + (case insensitive) K, M, G, T, P or E (meaning << 10, << 20, + << 30, << 40, << 50 or << 60). This specifies the end of + memory to the kernel. This affects the possible placement of + an initrd, since an initrd should be placed near end of + memory. Note that this is an option to *both* the kernel and + the bootloader! + + initrd=<file> + An initrd should be loaded. The meaning of <file> is + obviously bootloader-dependent, and some boot loaders + (e.g. LILO) do not have such a command. + +In addition, some boot loaders add the following options to the +user-specified command line: + + BOOT_IMAGE=<file> + The boot image which was loaded. Again, the meaning of <file> + is obviously bootloader-dependent. + + auto + The kernel was booted without explicit user intervention. + +If these options are added by the boot loader, it is highly +recommended that they are located *first*, before the user-specified +or configuration-specified command line. Otherwise, "init=/bin/sh" +gets confused by the "auto" option. + + +**** RUNNING THE KERNEL + +The kernel is started by jumping to the kernel entry point, which is +located at *segment* offset 0x20 from the start of the real mode +kernel. This means that if you loaded your real-mode kernel code at +0x90000, the kernel entry point is 9020:0000. + +At entry, ds = es = ss should point to the start of the real-mode +kernel code (0x9000 if the code is loaded at 0x90000), sp should be +set up properly, normally pointing to the top of the heap, and +interrupts should be disabled. Furthermore, to guard against bugs in +the kernel, it is recommended that the boot loader sets fs = gs = ds = +es = ss. + +In our example from above, we would do: + + /* Note: in the case of the "old" kernel protocol, base_ptr must + be == 0x90000 at this point; see the previous sample code */ + + seg = base_ptr >> 4; + + cli(); /* Enter with interrupts disabled! */ + + /* Set up the real-mode kernel stack */ + _SS = seg; + _SP = heap_end; + + _DS = _ES = _FS = _GS = seg; + jmp_far(seg+0x20, 0); /* Run the kernel */ + +If your boot sector accesses a floppy drive, it is recommended to +switch off the floppy motor before running the kernel, since the +kernel boot leaves interrupts off and thus the motor will not be +switched off, especially if the loaded kernel has the floppy driver as +a demand-loaded module! + + +**** ADVANCED BOOT LOADER HOOKS + +If the boot loader runs in a particularly hostile environment (such as +LOADLIN, which runs under DOS) it may be impossible to follow the +standard memory location requirements. Such a boot loader may use the +following hooks that, if set, are invoked by the kernel at the +appropriate time. The use of these hooks should probably be +considered an absolutely last resort! + +IMPORTANT: All the hooks are required to preserve %esp, %ebp, %esi and +%edi across invocation. + + realmode_swtch: + A 16-bit real mode far subroutine invoked immediately before + entering protected mode. The default routine disables NMI, so + your routine should probably do so, too. + + code32_start: + A 32-bit flat-mode routine *jumped* to immediately after the + transition to protected mode, but before the kernel is + uncompressed. No segments, except CS, are guaranteed to be + set up (current kernels do, but older ones do not); you should + set them up to BOOT_DS (0x18) yourself. + + After completing your hook, you should jump to the address + that was in this field before your boot loader overwrote it + (relocated, if appropriate.) + + +**** 32-bit BOOT PROTOCOL + +For machine with some new BIOS other than legacy BIOS, such as EFI, +LinuxBIOS, etc, and kexec, the 16-bit real mode setup code in kernel +based on legacy BIOS can not be used, so a 32-bit boot protocol needs +to be defined. + +In 32-bit boot protocol, the first step in loading a Linux kernel +should be to setup the boot parameters (struct boot_params, +traditionally known as "zero page"). The memory for struct boot_params +should be allocated and initialized to all zero. Then the setup header +from offset 0x01f1 of kernel image on should be loaded into struct +boot_params and examined. The end of setup header can be calculated as +follow: + + 0x0202 + byte value at offset 0x0201 + +In addition to read/modify/write the setup header of the struct +boot_params as that of 16-bit boot protocol, the boot loader should +also fill the additional fields of the struct boot_params as that +described in zero-page.txt. + +After setupping the struct boot_params, the boot loader can load the +32/64-bit kernel in the same way as that of 16-bit boot protocol. + +In 32-bit boot protocol, the kernel is started by jumping to the +32-bit kernel entry point, which is the start address of loaded +32/64-bit kernel. + +At entry, the CPU must be in 32-bit protected mode with paging +disabled; a GDT must be loaded with the descriptors for selectors +__BOOT_CS(0x10) and __BOOT_DS(0x18); both descriptors must be 4G flat +segment; __BOOS_CS must have execute/read permission, and __BOOT_DS +must have read/write permission; CS must be __BOOT_CS and DS, ES, SS +must be __BOOT_DS; interrupt must be disabled; %esi must hold the base +address of the struct boot_params; %ebp, %edi and %ebx must be zero. |
